1. Predictive Classification System for Low Back Pain Based on Unsupervised Clustering.
- Author
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Jin, Lixia, Jiang, Chang, Gu, Lishu, Jiang, Mengying, Shi, Yuanlu, Qu, Qixun, Shen, Na, Shi, Weibin, Cao, Yuanwu, Chen, Zixian, Jiang, Chun, Feng, Zhenzhou, Shen, Linghao, and Jiang, Xiaoxing
- Subjects
LUMBAR pain ,MAGNETIC resonance imaging ,DISEASE incidence ,FOLLOW-up studies (Medicine) ,MACHINE learning ,DEGENERATION (Pathology) - Abstract
Study Design: Retrospective study. Objective: Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are believed to be associated with low back pain (LBP). This study sought to develop a new predictive classification system for low back pain. Method: Normal subjects with repeated lumbar MRI scans were retrospectively enrolled. A new classification system, based on the radiological features on MRI, was developed using an unsupervised clustering method. Results: One hundred and fifty-nine subjects were included. Three distinguishable clusters were identified with unsupervised clustering that were significantly correlated with LBP (P =.017). The incidence of LBP was highest in cluster 3 (57.14%), nearly twice the incidence in cluster 1 (30.11%). There were obvious differences in the sagittal parameters among the 3 clusters. Cluster 3 had the smallest intervertebral height. Based on follow-up findings, 27% of subjects changed clusters. More subjects changed from cluster 1 to clusters 2 or 3 (14.5%) than changed from cluster 2 or cluster 3 to cluster 1 (5%). Participation in sport was more frequent in subjects who changed from cluster 3 to cluster 1. Conclusion: Using an unsupervised clustering method, we developed a new classification system comprising 3 clusters, which were significantly correlated with LBP. The prediction of LBP is independent of age and better than that based on individual sagittal parameters derived from MRI. A change in cluster during follow-up may partially predict lumbar degeneration. This study provides a new system for the prediction of LBP that should be useful for its diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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