Abstract |
The curvature of the lumbar spine and the risk of developing either osteoporosis or
osteoarthritis are influenced by many common factors. Since normal lordosis displays
a wide spectrum of values, it is possible that patients with osteoarthritis have a
different range than those with osteoporosis.
Purpose
The primary aim of this dissertation is to investigate the relationship between lumbar
lordosis and the risk factors for developing osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Besides
that, an attempt is undertaken to clarify the correlation between lumbar spine
curvature with the presence of either disease.
Material and methods
The design of the study was cross - sectional, randomized and observational. Subjects
were selected from a group of 524 consecutive patients that were examined over a
period of 6 months in the Outpatients Department of the Orthopaedics Clinic,
University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete. All patients underwent DEXA scanning with
the same equipment. Additionally, they were all referred for anteroposterior and
lateral radiographic examination of the thoracic and lumbar spine in the standing
position. From these, Cobb’s lumbar lordosis angle was calculated between L1- L5,
L1- S1 and L5-S1. All lumbar radiographs were examined on two separate occasions,
independently by two observers.
Results
The findings of this study are in agreement with previously established correlations
between risk factors and the presence of osteoporosis or osteoarthritis. However, no
significant differences were found in the degree of lumbar lordosis and the
lumbosacral angle between patients with osteoporosis, patients with lumbar spine
osteoarthritis, patients with both diseases and healthy individuals.
Conclusions
Besides the hypotheses, correlations were examined that were already known, and
were found to be in agreement with already established facts. Consequently, although
the presumptions that generated the tested hypothesis are valid, the results do not
support it. Evidently, the magnitude of effect of these risk factors on disease
occurrence is different than that on spinal configuration. Another reason for which the
hypotheses was invalidated could be that the other, not common factors that are
involved have a significant influence on disease development and a negligible or no
influence on lordosis.
|