Relationship between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Lumbar Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women

Methods@#Consecutive patients whose BMD had been checked using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at Gwangmyung Sungae Hospital were recruited. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of type 2 DM. Risk factors of OVCF including age, BMI, current smoking status, current alcohol consumption, and presence of osteoporosis were analyzed separately in the type 2 DM group and control group. @*Results@#A total of 1,130 patients were enrolled in this study. The mean age was 63.2 years. BMI was positively correlated with lumbar BMD in the control group (r =0.284) and in the diabetic group (r =0.302). In subgroup analysis, BMI and age were significant risk factors of OVCF in the type 2 DM group. In multiple linear regression analysis, type 2 DM (β =0.035; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.005–0.065; p =0.024) and BMI (β =0.015; 95% CI, 0.012–0.018; p <0.001) were positively correlated with lumbar BMD, and age was negatively correlated with BMD (β =−0.006; 95% CI, −0.007 to −0.004; p <0.001). @*Conclusions@#BMI was positively correlated with lumbar BMD and was higher in type 2 diabetic patients. Age was negatively correlated with lumbar BMD.

Relationship between Lumbar Disc Degeneration and Back Muscle Degeneration

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective evaluation. OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between lumbar disc degeneration and back muscle degeneration. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: In the degenerative cascade of the spine described by Kirkaldy-Willis, degeneration of the disc and of the facet joint co-occur with aging. However, the muscles of the back are not included in this model. Several studies have reported significant correlations between back muscle degeneration and facet joint arthritis. The purpose of our study was to evaluate relationships between lumbar disc degeneration and fatty degeneration of the back muscles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 65 patients over the age of 50 years who had undergone lumbar spine MRI in our orthopaedic clinic were recruited. Fatty degeneration of the back muscles was qualitatively graded from I to III by the degree of the fat signal in the muscle layer, including both the multifidus and erector spinae. Lumbar disc degeneration was graded from I to V according to the Pfirrmann grade. Correlations between the back muscle degeneration grade and radiological parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: The degeneration grade of the multifidus correlated positively with age and the grade of disc degeneration. Correlations with other radiologic parameters were not significant. The degeneration grade of the erector spinae correlated positively with age. Other radiologic parameters were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant correlation between lumbar disc degeneration and multifidus degeneration. Erector spinae degeneration was correlated with age, but not with lumbar disc degeneration. The degenerative cascade of the spine was accompanied by fatty changes of the multifidus with aging.

Relationship between Lumbar Disc Degeneration and Back Muscle Degeneration

OBJECTIVES@#To determine the relationship between lumbar disc degeneration and back muscle degeneration.SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: In the degenerative cascade of the spine described by Kirkaldy-Willis, degeneration of the disc and of the facet joint co-occur with aging. However, the muscles of the back are not included in this model. Several studies have reported significant correlations between back muscle degeneration and facet joint arthritis. The purpose of our study was to evaluate relationships between lumbar disc degeneration and fatty degeneration of the back muscles.@*MATERIALS AND METHODS@#In this study, 65 patients over the age of 50 years who had undergone lumbar spine MRI in our orthopaedic clinic were recruited. Fatty degeneration of the back muscles was qualitatively graded from I to III by the degree of the fat signal in the muscle layer, including both the multifidus and erector spinae. Lumbar disc degeneration was graded from I to V according to the Pfirrmann grade. Correlations between the back muscle degeneration grade and radiological parameters were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The degeneration grade of the multifidus correlated positively with age and the grade of disc degeneration. Correlations with other radiologic parameters were not significant. The degeneration grade of the erector spinae correlated positively with age. Other radiologic parameters were not significant.@*CONCLUSIONS@#There was a significant correlation between lumbar disc degeneration and multifidus degeneration. Erector spinae degeneration was correlated with age, but not with lumbar disc degeneration. The degenerative cascade of the spine was accompanied by fatty changes of the multifidus with aging.

Relationship Between Pelvic Tilt and Lumbar Disc Degeneration

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between pelvic tilt and lumbar disc degeneration. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: The shape and the spatial orientation of the pelvis determine the organization of the lumbothoracic spine. The purpose of our study was to determine the relationship between pelvic tilt and lumbar disc degeneration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients over 50 years of age who had undergone lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging were recruited. In individuals between 41 and 60 years of age, the normal pelvic tilt is 14°. Patients were divided into a low pelvic tilt (PT) group (<14°) and a high pelvic tilt (PT) group (≥14°). Lumbar disc degeneration was graded from I to V according to the Pfirrmann grade. We defined grades IV and V as high-grade degeneration and the others as low-grade degeneration. Radiologic parameters and lumbar disc degeneration were compared between these 2 groups. RESULTS: In the low PT group, the average degeneration grade of each lumbar segment was 2.61 in L1-L2, 2.61 in L2-L3, 3.00 in L3-L4, 3.39 in L4-L5, and 3.84 in L5-S1. The corresponding grades in the high PT group were 2.34 in L1-L2, 2.62 in L2-L3, 3.07 in L3-L4, 3.76 in L4-L5, and 3.55 in L5-S1. The grade of degeneration of the high PT group was significantly higher than that of the low PT group for L4-L5 (p=0.031). High-grade degeneration of the L4-L5 segment was significantly more common in the high PT group (odds ratio=4.65; 95% CI, 1.406-15.381; p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with high pelvic tilt had a higher grade of lumbar disc degeneration in the L4-L5 segment regardless of age or gender.