Abstract:
Background: A detailed understanding of lumbar vertebral body morphometry and disc degeneration among Ghanaians is relevant for clinical and research purposes. Studies exist on how age and sex affect lumbar vertebral morphometry and disc degeneration among Caucasians, but there is paucity of similar information in African populations including Ghana. Association of weight and height with lumbar vertebral morphometry and disc degeneration remains inadequately investigated in both populations.
Aim: This study investigated the association of age, sex, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) with lumbar vertebral body morphometry and disc degeneration using archived radiologic data from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana.
Method: Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of patients who had accessed services at the Radiology Unit of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital from March, 2014 to February, 2015 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients’ age, sex, weight and height, were collated from available MRI records together with mid-sagittal images of the lumbar spine. The anterior, middle, and posterior vertebral body heights as well as anteroposterior diameter were measured. Disc degeneration as well as herniation was classified by standard criteria. The obtained data were analysed to determine statistical association between variables studied.
Results: The study revealed that, vertebral body dimensions decreased with age but increased as an individual grew taller (P=0.001) and were greater in males than in females. BMI and body weight, however, showed no significant association with lumbar vertebral body dimensions. Lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) as well as herniation increased significantly with age (P=0.001) and were most prevalent among the elderly. Body weight and BMI were positively correlated with LDD at the caudal end of the lumbar spine. There was no significant correlation with disc herniation. Height, on the other hand, was negatively correlated with disc degeneration but not disc herniation. LDD and herniation were more frequent among males than females for the first 4 intervertebral discs but higher in females at the 5th intervertebral disc.
Conclusion: Vertebral body dimensions decreased with age but increased as an individual grew taller and were larger in males than in females. LDD increased with age, increasing body weight and BMI but decreased with increasing body length. LDD and herniation occurred more frequently in males than in females. Age and gender related findings observed in the present study were similar to those reported in literature.
