ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the differences in some measured paremeters on spino-pelvic sagittal X-ray films in middle-aged and elderly patients between lumbar spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis,and to explore the predictors that the spondylolysis at lumbar 5 may develope into spondylolisthesis in order to provide imaging details for the clinical treatment of teenage patients with lumbar spondylolysis.Methods Imaging data of 60 patients with spondylolysis at lumbar 5 and other 60 with isthmic spondylolisthesis in middle or elder age in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively,and a control group with 60 normal volunteers were recruited in this study.Some parameters including the angles of pelvic incidence (PI),pelvic tilt (PT),sacral slope (SS),lumbar-sacral angle (LSA)and lumbar lordosis (LL),and the sagittal vertical axis (SVA)were measured in sagittal radiographs of the spine and pelvis. Differences in sagittal parameters among 3 groups were analyzed by one-way variance analysis and SNK-q test.Results The PI,PT, SS and LL were higher,and LSA was lower in patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis than those in the control group and lumbar spondylolysis one (P0.05).No significant differences in all spino-pelvic sagittal parameters were found between lumbar spondylolysis group and the control (P>0.05).Conclusion Such spino-pelvic sagit-tal parameters as PI,PT,SS,LL and LSA on X-ray film can be regarded as predictors that lumbar 5 spondylolysis may develop into spondylolisthesis and may provide imaging reference for the clinical treatment of teen-age patients with lumbar spondylolysis.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There are some limitations in induced differentiation of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) and transplantation of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). Inhibition of autologous NPCs degeneration is expected to become an effective way for treatment of disc degeneration in the future. OBJECTIVE: To establish a layered coculture model of hBMSCs and NPCs in vitro, and to observe the effect of hBMSCs on the differentiation of NPCs. METHODS: The fourth passage of hBMSCs was divided into 2 groups. NPCs in the new-style layer culture group were incubated in Transwell cabin without arm, 0.4-μm membrane well; the proportion to BMSCs was 1: 1. NPCs in the traditional culture group were incubated in Transwell cabin with arm. NPC culture group was set. Each group was incubated for 7 days. Collagen Ⅱ was detected by immunohistochemical method. Aggrecan expression was detected by [~(35)S ]-sulfate uptake. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with NPC culture group, collagen Ⅱ and aggrecan expression of NPCs were upregulated most evidently in new-style culture and traditional culture groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The increased range of new-style culture group was greater than the traditional culture group (P < 0.05). These results suggested that coculture of BMSCs and NPCs can significantly increase NPC proliferation and specific substance expression. The surrounding of new-style culture surpassed the traditional culture.