Strong Association of Smoking with Lumbar Degenerative Spine Disease

Abstract

Study Design: A prospective case control study. Purpose of Research: To investigate the role of cigarette smoking in the development of early lumbar degenerative spine disease. Summary of Background Data: Smoking is a growing and serious social as well as health problem all over the world. Cigarette smoking has many unfavourable impacts on human spinal column. The increased predisposition to low back pain in individuals who smoke has been well established. Exposure to nicotine has impact on disc metabolism and is believed to reduce the pain threshold of central nervous system. Materials and Methods: The 300 patients included in the study were with a mean age of 40.6±6.0 years who were diagnosed with lumbar degenerative spine disease confirmed by MRI. Among them 162 (54%) patients were females. Patients were interviewed to assess their smoking status/history. Results of Research: In the study it was found that 76.7% patients were smokers. The patient's who smoked; mean duration of smoking was 17.8±7.3 years and mean for cigarettes per day was 16.3±7.4/day. Among the smokers 60% were between the ages of 30-40 years. The mean of pack year consumed by the patients was 15.2±10.2. Conclusion: From this study it is evident that cigarette smoking is a leading risk factor for lumbar degenerative spine disease and its association with early onset of lumbar degenerative spine disease. Further research is necessary to establish a temporal relationship between smoking and degenerative spine disease.