Search

Background: To explore the association of MRI-diagnosed severe lumbar spinal stenosis with occupation., Methods: Occupational data were collected by questionnaire and all participants underwent spine MRI scans using the same protocol. Central lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) was graded qualitatively. Those with severe LSS (>two-thirds narrowing) were compared with the controls with lesser degrees of stenosis or no stenosis., Results: Data were available for 722 subjects, mean age 70.1 years. 239 (33%) cases with severe LSS were identified. Factory/construction workers had an almost four-fold increased risk of severe LSS after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, and walking speed amongst those aged <75 years (OR 3.97, 95%CI 1.46-10.85). Severe LSS was also associated with squatting ≥1 h/day (OR 1.76, 95%CI 1.01-3.07) but this association became non-significant after adjustment., Conclusion: Further research is needed but this study adds more evidence that occupational factors are associated with an increased risk and/or severity of degenerative disease of the lumbar spine., (© 2019 The Authors. American Journal of Industrial Medicine Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

An epidemiological study was carried out in connection with the multiphasic screening examination of 1,057 people (442 men and 615 women) in the village of Yachiho. The purpose of this study was to define the etiology of OALL (ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament) and disc narrowing. The prevalence of disc narrowing increased with age, but OALL was not correlated with aging. OALL was found more frequently in men, but disc narrowing showed no difference between each sexes. The body height and weight-height index were higher in the OALL cases. The body height shrinkage by aging was greater in the patients with disc narrowing cases. The index of thoracic kyphosis was higher in the OALL cases than in the patients with disc narrowing ones. OALL was associated with ossification of the other ligaments of the spine, but disc narrowing was not. This study suggests that despite some similarities, OALL is etiologically different from disc narrowing.