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International Orthopaedics

, Volume 42, Issue 4, pp 835–842 | Cite as

Natural history of the ossification of cervical posterior longitudinal ligament: a three dimensional analysis

  • Keiichi Katsumi
  • Kei Watanabe
  • Tomohiro Izumi
  • Toru Hirano
  • Masayuki Ohashi
  • Tatsuki Mizouchi
  • Takui Ito
  • Naoto Endo
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Purpose

Three-dimensional (3D) imaging using computed tomography (CT) has made it possible to accurately evaluate ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Recently, we developed a novel technique to measure ossification volume using the 3D analysis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the natural course of OPLL and the risk factors for volume progression.

Methods

Forty-one patients (22 males and 19 females) diagnosed with cervical OPLL who had been non-surgically treated were included in this study. We evaluated clinical examination, radiological findings, and the volume of ossified lesions during at least 1-year intervals. Furthermore, we performed risk factor analysis for OPLL volume progression.

Results

The mean ossification volume was 2047.4 ± 1437.3 mm3 in the first examination and 2201.0 ± 1524.1 mm3 in the final examination, indicating a significant increase during the follow-up period (p < 0.001). The mean annual rate of lesion increase was 4.1 ± 2.7%. Univariate regression analysis demonstrated significant relationships between the annual rate of lesion increase and age (β = −0.48; p = 0.001), body weight (BW) (β = 0.36; p = 0.02), and body mass index (BMI) (β = 0.35; p = 0.03). Furthermore, age was the only significant predictor of OPLL progression (R2 = 0.23; p = 0.001) in multivariate liner regression analysis.

Conclusions

Younger age, higher BW, and higher BMI are predictors of OPLL progression. Younger age is the most significant predictor in non-surgically treated patients.

Keywords

Ossification Three-dimensional Volume Progression Risk factors 
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Notes

Funding

This work was supported by a grant-in-aid from the Investigation Committee on the Ossification of the Spinal Ligaments of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflict of interest

None.

Supplementary material

264_2017_3667_MOESM1_ESM.xlsx (24 kb)
ESM 1 (XLSX 23 kb)

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Copyright information

© SICOT aisbl 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  • Keiichi Katsumi
    • 1
  • Kei Watanabe
    • 2
  • Tomohiro Izumi
    • 3
  • Toru Hirano
    • 2
  • Masayuki Ohashi
    • 2
  • Tatsuki Mizouchi
    • 2
  • Takui Ito
    • 4
  • Naoto Endo
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Uonuma Institute of Community MedicineNiigata University Medical and Dental HospitalNiigataJapan
  2. 2.Department of Orthopedic SurgeryNiigata University Medical and Dental General HospitalNiigataJapan
  3. 3.Spine Center, Department of Orthopedic SurgeryNiigata Central HospitalNiigataJapan
  4. 4.Department of Orthopedic SurgeryNiigata City General HospitalNiigataJapan

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