Evaluating effects of developmental lumbar spinal canal stenosis on degenerative changes of the spine

Abstract

Lumbar spine syndrome (LSS) is a common disease that causes back pain, leg pain, and possible functional impairment. Limited studies have investigated the degenerative changes of the lumbar vertebrae in spinal canal stenosis in patients with back pain. Considering the high relevance of this disease in the general population of adults, this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the degenerative changes of the vertebral column in people with back pain and comparing it in people with spinal canal stenosis and healthy people in terms of spinal canal. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at Imam Reza Hospital in Tabriz in 1401-1402. The statistical population of this study is 196 people and among the patients suffering from back pain who were subjected to radiological examination by back MRI after referral. Patients were divided into two groups with an equal number of those with and without developmental stenosis of the spinal canal. Various types of degenerative changes including disc changes, herniation, dehydration, MODIC changes, hypertrophy of ligaments and facet joints from L1 to S1 vertebra were investigated. Also, the severity and location of spinal canal stenosis in patients with congenital spinal canal stenosis was determined. Results: There was no significant difference between the age and sex of the patients in the two groups (P value˃0.05). The anterior-posterior diameter of the vertebral canal of the patients in the group with canal stenosis was significantly lower than the control group at all the examined levels. In the group with canal stenosis, there is significantly higher grades of dehydration than the control group. Also, the compressive effect on the sac-tecal, incidence of Schmerol's node, hypertrophy of the facet joints and ligamentum flavum were significantly higher in the group with developmental stenosis of the spinal canal. MODIC changes and presence of marginal osteophyte were not different in two groups.