Abstract
Background: The effect of age, atherosclerotic changes of abdominal aorta and arteriosclerotic changes of lumbar arteries on number of chondrocytes of lumbar intervertebral discs has not been studied. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional post mortem study was carried out in Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka to determine the association between the mean number of chondrocytes in the fifth lumbar intervertebral disc and age, the level of atherosclerotic changes of the lumbar abdominal aorta and arteriosclerotic changes of right and left, fourth lumbar arteries. The presence or absence of atherosclerotic plaques in the abdominal aorta lumbar region was studied. To assess arteriosclerotic changes, the Intima Media thickness (IMT) and the total thickness (TT) of lumbar arteries were measured and the ratio IMT/TT was calculated. Bivariant analysis and a multi variant analysis were done. Results: There were 51 samples in total. Their ages ranged from 18 to 96 years. The mean age (SD) was 43 (± 17.1) years. The samples were obtained from 38 males and 13 females. There was a significant negative association (P<0.001; Beta Coefficient=- 0.95) between the age of the subject and the mean number of chondrocytes in the intervertebral disc. There was no significant association between atherosclerotic changes of abdominal aorta and arteriosclerotic changes of lumbar arteries and the mean number of chondrocytes. Conclusion: Only the age had a significant negative association with the mean number of chondrocytes of the intervertebral disc.
Highlights
It is estimated that in every population, an individual has an 80% probability of having low back pain at some period during their life time [1]
Low back pain and lumbar sacral radicular pain have a large number of causes and out of those causes; intervertebral disc degeneration is one of the most common causes [3]
This study has found an association between atherosclerosis of abdominal aorta and macroscopic changes in the intervertebral discs
Summary
It is estimated that in every population, an individual has an 80% probability of having low back pain at some period during their life time [1]. Low back pain and lumbar sacral radicular pain have a large number of causes and out of those causes; intervertebral disc degeneration is one of the most common causes [3]. Intervertebral disc degeneration is an important cause of persistent low back pain with or without leg pain [4]. The central compartment of the disc contains the gelatinous nucleus pulposus, which is enclosed by the tough annulus fibrosus and the endplate cartilage [5]. The cartilage extracellular matrix is remodeled in response to the functional demands of mechanical loading, and this process is mediated through the metabolic activity of chondrocytes [7]. Any structural defect and/or metabolic disturbances in the extracellular matrix may cause cellular and tissue alterations that can lead to the development or progression of disc degeneration [8]. The effect of age, atherosclerotic changes of abdominal aorta and arteriosclerotic changes of lumbar arteries on number of chondrocytes of lumbar intervertebral discs has not been studied
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