Radiographic LDD disc space
narrowing was found to be associated with LBP as well as neuropathic pain.
Future studies will confirm the findings.
Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent cause of disability and reduced quality of life of people suffering from it. Lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) is the proposed cause of LBP, but the relationship is not fully understood. Previous studies have reported an association between LBP and both the LDD definitions osteophytes and disc space narrowing, but there is lack of studies that have examined the relationship between LDD and neuropathic pain. The study was therefore conducted to evaluate the relationship between the radiographic features of LDD and the presence of self-reported LBP, LBP persisting longer than three months, the perceived severity of LBP and presence of neuropathic pain.
Logistic regression models were used to find out the relationship between the radiographic LDD using two definitions (i.e., osteophytes, disc space narrowing) versus the presence of LBP, LBP > 3 months, severe LBP and neuropathic pain.
Six ninety-nine patients
completed the questionnaire and had a lumbar radiograph. Two independent
observers were involved in scoring the Radiographs. The findings showed the
presence of osteophytes in 98% of the population. The disc space narrowing was
observed in 67% of the population. So it revealed no significant association of
osteophytes with LBP (OR = 1.2, 95% CI 0.9-1.7). But the disc space narrowing
was found to had significant association with the presence of LBP and
neuropathic pain. (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.2-2.4 and OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.7,
respectively). The presence of LBP severity score of ≥4, and LBP
persisting > 3 months were not significantly associated with the two
definitions of LDD.
Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2017 May 25
The Association Between Self-reported Low Back Pain and Radiographic Lumbar Disc Degeneration of the Cohort Hip and Cohort Knee (CHECK) Study.
Van den Berg R et al.
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