Correlation between intervertebral disc degeneration and hyperuricemia / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Hyperuricemia is a common metabolic disease,and the main clinical manifestation of patients with hyperuricemia is the formation of uric acid crystals leading to gout.Previous studies have only reported that uric acid crystals lead to intervertebral disc degeneration,but there are fewer studies on the correlation between hyperuricemia and intervertebral disc degeneration. OBJECTIVE:To retrospectively analyze the characteristics of intervertebral disc degeneration in patients with hyperuricemia and the correlation between serum uric acid level and intervertebral disc degeneration. METHODS:A retrospective analysis was performed in all patients diagnosed with intervertebral disc degeneration admitted at the Department of Orthopedics,the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from January 2021 to December 2022.There were 97 hyperuricemia patients in the hyperuricemia group and 194 non-hyperuricemia patients in the control group according to sex and age in a ratio of 1:2.Blood uric acid test results were collected,and Pfirrmann scoring was performed for the degree of disc degeneration in patients based on the whole spinal MRI images.The difference in the degree of disc degeneration between the two groups was compared,and the correlation between the serum uric acid level and the degree of intervertebral disc degeneration was analyzed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The Pfirrmann score in the hyperuricemia group was higher than that in the control group,and the total number of disc degeneration in the hyperuricemia group was also significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that the degree of disc degeneration in male patients was positively correlated with serum uric acid level at many spinal segments in the hyperuricemia group(C3/4:r=0.317,C4/5:r=0.333,C5/6:r=0.309,L2/3:r=0.443,P<0.05);the degree of disc degeneration in female patients was also positively correlated with serum uric acid level(C3/4:r=0.354,C4/5:r=0.388,C6/7:r=0.312,T7/8:r=0.282,T9/10:r=0.305,T11/12:r=0.277,L4/5:r=0.319,L5-S1:r=0.367,P<0.05).In the control group,there was no significant correlation between the degree of disc degeneration and serum uric acid level in male and female patients(P>0.05).To conclude,in patients with hyperuricemia,the higher serum uric acid level indicates the more serious intervertebral disc degeneration.Therefore,hyperuricemia is one of the risk factors for intervertebral disc degeneration.

T2 mapping of lumbar intervertebral disc: quantitative evaluation of degeneration in relation to Pfirrmann grading system and a template for intervertebral disc segmentation.

Background: To assess the feasibility of using T2 relaxation time mapping at 3 Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detection and classification of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration, introducing an objective model of disc segmentation for accurate disc assessment. Materials and Methods: The present study is a single-center prospective evaluation including 185 lumbar intervertebral discs from a cohort of 37 patients with chronic lower back pain. For the quantitative classification of disc degeneration, three regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on T2 maps, and the Pfirrmann grading system was used for qualitative assessment. Intergroup evaluation was performed with paired t-tests. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the mean value of T2 mapping, and Tukey's multiple comparison test was applied to determine differences in mean values of T2 mapping among the Pfirrmann categories. Results: The ANOVA test analysis of ROIs showed that there is a statistically significant difference (p <0.001) among average T2 relaxation time mapping values in different Pfirrmann score groups, and Tukey's multiple comparison tests revealed that mean values of T2 map among the different grades of Pfirrmann differ from the rest (p <0.001) except grade V. Paired t-tests revealed significant differences in mean values of T2 map between different ROIs. Conclusion: This study showed that quantitative T2 mapping of the lumbar intervertebral discs at 3T MRI may overcome the subjective element of qualitative classification systems for degenerative intervertebral disc disease. Also, a new template of disc segmentation with more ROIs would be more sensitive for the assessment of disc degeneration. HIPPOKRATIA 2023, 27 (2):75-81.

Diabetes Mellitus-A Risk Factor for the Development of Lumbar Disc Degeneration: A Retrospective Study of an Indian Population.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the severity of lumbar disc degeneration disease (LDDD). METHODS: We included 199 patients with low back pain (LBP) who visited our hospital from 2016 to 2018. All patients were divided into 3 groups as per inclusion criteria. Group A, patients without DM (n = 75); group B, patients with controlled DM (n = 72); and group C, patients with uncontrolled DM (n = 52). The patients were further subdivided into group B1, DM duration ≤10 years (n = 38); group B2, DM duration >10 years (n = 34); group C1 DM duration ≤10 years (n = 28); and group C2, DM duration >10 years (n = 24). Sex, age, body mass index, occupation, smoking history, alcohol use, and duration of T2DM were recorded. The severity of LDDD was evaluated using the 5-level Pfirrmann grading system. Operated patients' disc materials were sent for histological examination. RESULTS: Demographic data showed no difference among groups (P > 0.5), except age. Patients with DM showed more severe disc degeneration compared with patients without DM. The average Pfirrmann scores between groups A and B1 had no difference; groups B2, C1, and C2 showed higher average Pfirrmann scores than group A (P < 0.05). Groups B2 and C2 showed higher average Pfirrmann scores than groups B1 and C1 (P < 0.05). Groups C1 and C2 showed higher average Pfirrmann scores than groups B1 and B2 (P < 0.05). The severity of LDDD was significantly related to DM duration in both groups B and C (P < 0.05). DM groups showed increased disc apoptosis and matrix aggrecan fragmentation, disc glycosaminoglycan content and histological analysis were significantly different; the results are similar to Pfirrmann score results. CONCLUSIONS: DM duration >10 years and uncontrolled DM were risk factors for LDDD.

Hyperglycemia and its influence on development of lumbar degenerative disc disease.

STUDY DESIGN: A Retrospective observational study. OBJECTIVES: To determine the influence of hyperglycemia on severity of lumbar degenerative disc disease (LDDD). METHODS: We retrospectively included 199 patients with low back pain (LBP) who visited our tertiary care hospital from June 2016 to December 2018. All patients divided into three groups as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. Group-A had patients without DM (n = 75). Group B had well-controlled DM patients (n = 72) and Group-C had uncontrolled DM patients (n = 52). Group B and C subdivided according to dutation of DM. Group-B1 DM duration was ≤ 10 years (n = 38), Group-B2 DM duration was >10 years (n = 34), Group-C1 DM duration ≤10 years (n = 28), Group-C2 DM duration >10 years (n = 24). Sex, age, BMI, occupation, smoking history, alcohol use and duration of type-II DM were recorded. The severity of LDDD was evaluated using the five-level Pfirrmann grading system. Operated patient's disc material sent for histological examination. RESULTS: Patients with DM showed more severe disc degeneration compared to patients without DM. The average Pfirrmann scores between Groups A and B1 had no difference; Groups B2, C1, and C2 showed higher average Pfirrmann-scores than Group-A (p > 0.05). Group-B2 and Group-C2 showed higher average Pfirrmann-scores than Group-B1 and Group-C1 (p > 0.05). Group-C1 and Group-C2 showed higher average Pfirrmann-scores than Group-B1 and B2 (p > 0.05). The severity of LDDD was significantly related to DM duration both in groups B & C (p > 0.05). DM groups showed increased disc apoptosis and matrix aggrecan fragmentation, Disc glycosaminoglycan content and histological significantly different, the results are similar to Pfirrmann-score results. CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive relationship between diabetes and LDDD. A longer the duration and poor control of hyperglycemia could aggravate disc degeneration.

The potential effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus on lumbar disc degeneration: a retrospective single-center study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and low back pain which is mainly caused by degeneration of the intervertebral discs (IVDs) both are major public health problem worldwide. The present study was designed to investigate the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and severity of lumbar disc degeneration (LDD). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with low back pain visiting our spine clinic in 2014. Low back pain patients all have the lumbar MRI imaging and no previous treatment. One hundred fifty patients without T2D (group A) and 622 patients with T2D meeting the criteria were included. Sex, age, body mass index (BMI), high blood pressure (HBP), history of smoking, alcohol use, and duration of T2D were recorded. Patients with T2D were assigned to a well-controlled group (group B, n = 380) and a bad-controlled group (group C, n = 242). In group B, T2D duration of 148 patients was ≤ 10 years (group B1) and 232 patients > 10 years (group B2). In group C, T2D duration of 100 patients was ≤ 10 years (group C1) and 142 patients > 10 years (group C2). The severity of LDD was evaluated using the five-level Pfirrmann grading system. Data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0. RESULTS: Demographic data except age showed no difference among groups (P > 0.5). Compared to patients without T2D, patients with T2D showed more severe disc degeneration after removal of age effects (P < 0.05). From L1/2 to L5/S1, the average Pfirrmann scores between groups A and B1 showed no difference(P > 0.05); groups B2, C1, and C2 showed higher average Pfirrmann scores than group A (P < 0.05). Groups B2 and C2 showed higher average Pfirrmann scores than groups B1 and C1 (P < 0.05). Groups C1 and C2 showed higher average Pfirrmann scores than groups B1 and B2 (P < 0.05). From L1/2 to L5/S1, the severity of LDD was highly positively related to T2D duration both in groups B and C (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: T2D duration > 10 years and a bad control of T2D were risk factors for LDD. The longer T2D duration was, the more severe disc degeneration would be.

The usefulness of radiological grading scales to predict pain intensity, functional impairment, and health-related quality of life after surgery for lumbar degenerative disc disease.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study is to determine the relationship of radiological grading scales of lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) with postoperative pain intensity, functional impairment, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). METHODS: Response to surgical treatment at 6 weeks (W6) on the visual analogue scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, Oswestry-Disability (ODI) and Roland-Morris Disability Index (RMDI), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, EuroQol (EQ) 5D, and Short-Form Health-Survey (SF-12) physical component summary (PCS) was compared between patients with different Modic (MOD) and Pfirrmann (PFI) grades. Longitudinal outcomes at day 3 (D3), W6, 6 months (M6), and 1 year (Y1) were compared. RESULTS: The study included 338 patients (mean age, 58.6 years), of which n = 202 (59.8%) had MOD 1-3 and n = 217 (64.2%) PFI 4-5 changes. Patients with MOD 1-3 were as likely as patients without MOD changes to be treatment-responders at W6 in terms of VAS leg pain, ODI, RMDI, TUG, EQ5D, and SF-12 PCS. Similarly, patients with PFI 4-5 were as likely as patients with PFI 1-3 changes to be treatment-responders at W6. Longitudinal outcomes were similar at D3, W6, M6, and Y1 between patients with and without MOD changes. Patients with PFI 4-5 fared similar to those with PFI 1-3 except for inferior HRQoL on the SF-12 PCS metric at Y1. CONCLUSIONS: There was no distinct relationship between commonly used radiological grading scales of lumbar DDD with clinical outcome. Therefore, no prognosis should be made on the grounds of preoperative PFI and MOD classifications for patients undergoing spine surgery for lumbar DDD.

23Na-magnetic resonance imaging of the human lumbar vertebral discs: in vivo measurements at 3.0 T in healthy volunteers and patients with low back pain.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: 1H magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine can rule out common causes of low back pain (LBP), such as disc protrusions or nerve root compression; however, no significant causal relation exists between morphology and the extent of symptoms. Functional MRI techniques, such as 23Na, may provide additional information, allowing indirect assessment of vertebral glycosaminoglycan concentrations, decreases in which are associated with early degenerative changes. PURPOSE: To evaluate 23Na-MRI of asymptomatic healthy volunteers and symptomatic patients with LPB and correlate the results to the Pfirrmann classification of MRI disc morphology. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study at an academic medical center. PATIENT SAMPLE: Two groups were studied: (1) 55 healthy volunteers (31 men, 24 women; mean age 28.8 years) and (2) 12 patients (6 men, 6 women; mean age: 35.3 years) with a recent history of LBP. METHODS: Lumbar spines of the aforementioned groups were examined on a 3.0 T MRI scanner with morphological 1H and 23Na imaging. Intervertebral disc (IVD) 23Na at each level was normalized (23Nanorm). Distribution and differences between mean 23Nanorm corresponding to each Pfirrmann classification were evaluated in the two study groups (analysis of variance). Linear correlations between 23Nanorm, body mass index (BMI), and age were assessed (Pearson correlation coefficient). Gender-dependent differences were evaluated (paired t test). OUTCOME MEASURES: Physiological measure: IVD 23Nanorm as determined by 23Na-MRI. RESULTS: A normal distribution of 23Nanorm was confirmed for both groups (p=.072 and p=.073, respectively). The mean Pfirrmann score statistically significantly differed between them (p<.0001). 23Nanorm was statistically significantly reduced in degenerated IVDs (Pfirrmann scores 4+5) (p<.0001). No statistically significant differences were seen for the mean 23Nanorm of IVDs with the same Pfirrmann score in healthy volunteers and patients (.469