Radiographically detectable lumbar degenerative changes as risk indicators of back pain. A cross-sectional epidemiologic study of concrete reinforcement workers and house painters.

Abstract

RllHIMAKI II, WICKSTROM G, HANNINEN K, MATTSSON T, WARIS P, ZITIING A. Radiographically detectable lumbar degenerative changes as risk indicators of back pain: a cross-sectional epidemiologic study of concrete reinforcement workers and house painters. Scand J Work Environ Health 1989;15:280-285. The association between radiographically detectable degenerative changes in the lumbar spine and back symptoms was studied, along with the possible effect of occupational work load. The subjects were 216 concrete reinforcement workers and 201 house painters. A questionnaire provided information on work history and earlier back accidents, and a standardized interview produced data on back symptoms. The occurrence of disc space narrowing, anterior and posterior spondylophytes, and endplate sclerosis was recorded separately for each intervertebral space from lateral lumbar radiographs. Moderate to severe degenerative changes were associated with increased risk of sciatic pain but not with the occurrence of lumbago or nonspecific back pain. The different types of degenerative changes provided no further information. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis degenerative changes and earlier back accidents were significant independent predictors of sciatic pain. When these two variates were allowed for, the effect of occupation was not significant.

Back disorders and health problems among subway train operators exposed to whole-body vibration.

“…One recent study of construction workers reported that progressive degenerative spinal changes were associated with an increased risk of sciatic pain (38,39).…”

The association between lumbar spine radiographic features and low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…The occupation-based populations' unadjusted association for disc space narrowing ranged from a uOR of 1.23 (95% CI: 0.48-3.15) to 2.47 (95% CI: 1.10-5.56) [52,55]. The uOR of osteophytes ranged from 1.38 (95% CI: 0.94-2.05) to 3.00 (95% CI: 1.23-7.33) [52,53]. Spondylolisthesis associations ranged from a uOR of 1.54 (95% CI: 0.60-3.95) to 2.43 (95% CI: 1.40-4.22) [51,56].…”

“…The most frequently investigated radiographic finding was disc space narrowing (N ¼ 14), while facet joint osteoarthritis was the least studied (N ¼ 2). Six studies were occupation-based, including 3182 male subjects (no females were included in these studies) [51][52][53][54][55][56]. The mean weight ranged from 67.4 to 77.3 kg, and the mean age ranged from 18 to 42 years.…”

Low-back pain, its origin and risk indicators.

“…My co-workers and I (23) found that degeneration of the lumbar spine is associated with sciatic pain but not with lumbago or nonspecific back pain. Comparison of these studies is difficult because the classification of radiographic findings varies from one study to another.…”