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Classification of endplate lesions in the lumbar spine and association with risk factors, biochemistry, and genetics

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Abstract

Purpose

To detect the associations between the degree of the endplate (EP) lesions with the presence of risk factors, biochemical and genetic markers previously observed in low back pain (LBP) patients with EP defects in comparison with hernia/discopathy patients and healthy controls.

Methods

In this observational retrospective study, T2-weighted sagittal MRI images (n = 223 LBP patients) were scored for EP lesions by two independent observers. Total MRI score and number of affected levels (L1/L2–L5/S1) have been considered for the correlation with demographic, behavioral, clinical, biochemical (25(OH)D, CTx-I and CTx-II levels, n = 69 males) and VDR variables.

Results

Males showed higher BMI and total MRI score than females. Patients bearing TT compared to tt VDR genotypes showed significant higher total MRI scores. Among males (n = 125), TT, bb and aa genotypes showed increased total MRI scores. Higher total MRI score directly correlates with higher levels of CTx-I and CTx-II (n = 69 males).

Conclusions

The markers previously identified as associated with the presence of EP lesions have been confirmed as related to their severity and could be used to follow the pathology progression.

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Availability of data and materials

Data are available at: https://osf.io/uhqf3/?view_only=6568d660a2f74e78995db57108d25509.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health, “Ricerca Corrente”.

Funding

This research was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health, “Ricerca Corrente”.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Biotechnology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy

    Alessandra Colombini & Marco Viganò

  2. LABS—Laboratory of Biological Structures Mechanics, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy

    Fabio Galbusera

  3. Dipartimento Di Scienze Radiologiche, Distretto Ospedaliero Dell’A.S.P. Catania Ospedale “Gravina E Santo Pietro”, Caltagirone, Italy

    Maria Cristina Cortese

  4. Ortopedia E Traumatologia III, ASST Centro Specialistico Ortopedico Traumatologico Gaetano Pini-CTO, Milan, Italy

    Enrico Gallazzi

  5. Unità Operativa Di Radiologia Diagnostica Ed Interventistica, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, 20161, Milan, Italy

    Domenico Albano & Luca Maria Sconfienza

  6. Sezione Di Scienze Radiologiche, Dipartimento Di Biomedicina, Neuroscienze E Diagnostica Avanzata, Università Degli Studi Di Palermo, 90127, Palermo, Italy

    Domenico Albano

  7. Department of Medicine, University of Udine, 33100, Udine, Italy

    Sabina Cauci

  8. Department of Biomedical Science for Health, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Luca Maria Sconfienza

  9. III Spine Surgery - Scoliosis Department, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, 20161, Milan, Italy

    Marco Brayda-Bruno

Authors
  1. Alessandra Colombini
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  2. Fabio Galbusera
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  3. Maria Cristina Cortese
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  4. Enrico Gallazzi
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  5. Marco Viganò
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  6. Domenico Albano
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  7. Sabina Cauci
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  8. Luca Maria Sconfienza
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  9. Marco Brayda-Bruno
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Contributions

Conceptualization was done by Alessandra Colombini, Fabio Galbusera. Methodology was done by Maria Cristina Cortese, Enrico Gallazzi, Domenico Albano, and formal analysis and investigation were done by Alessandra Colombini, Marco Viganò. Writing—original draft preparation was done by Alessandra Colombini, Fabio Galbusera. Writing—review and editing was done by Sabina Cauci, Luca Maria Sconfienza, Marco Brayda Bruno. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alessandra Colombini.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Patients had signed a written informed consent to participate to this study.

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Patients had signed a written informed consent for data publication.

Ethics approval

The protocol GENODISC01 of this study was approved by the Institutional Review Board ASL Città di Milano. The study was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration.

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Colombini, A., Galbusera, F., Cortese, M.C. et al. Classification of endplate lesions in the lumbar spine and association with risk factors, biochemistry, and genetics. Eur Spine J 30, 2231–2237 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-021-06719-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-021-06719-1

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