ISSLS prize in clinical science 2022: accelerated disc degeneration after pubertal growth spurt differentiates adults with low back pain from their asymptomatic peers

摘要

Abstract Purpose In this prospective observational cohort study, the development of lumbar intervertebral discs (LIVD) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was investigated from childhood to adulthood with emphasis on the possible association of disc degeneration (DD) to low back pain (LBP).Methods In 2021, 89 subjects who were enrolled in 1994 in a longitudinal study with lumbar spine MRI at ages 8, 11 and 18 were invited to participate in a long-term follow-up comprising a clinical examination, selected patient-reported outcome measures and a lumbar spine MRI. We assessed all MRIs (three lowest LIVDs) with the Pfirrmann summary score, and the ratio of signal intensity of nucleus pulposus to signal intensity of cerebrospinal fluid (SINDL). We further analyzed whether disc changes at any age were associated with self-reported LBP at age 34.Results Of the 48 subjects in the follow-up, 35 reported LBP at age 34. The Pfirrmann summary score significantly increased with age (p?