European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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Review Meta Analysis
Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and lumbar disc degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
To examine the association between Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) predisposition. ⋯ TaqI, FokI, and ApaI polymorphisms of VDR gene were not significantly associated with the predisposition of LDD. Large-scale and well-designed international studies are needed to further analyze this field.
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The ovine model is often used to evaluate new spine fusion technologies prior to clinical testing. An important aspect of designing sheep surgery protocols is to select the appropriate postoperative time period for comparing fusion outcomes. Unfortunately, determining the ideal study endpoint is complicated by the fact that prior published studies have not used consistent timeframes. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to provide a reference for investigators as to the expected fusion outcomes of control groups at varying timepoints in sheep spine surgery models. ⋯ Recommended timeframes for future studies designed to show either superiority over controls or equivalent outcomes with controls were developed based on aggregate results. Designating ideal study endpoints for sheep fusion models has both ethical implications associated with responsible use of animals in research, and economic implications given the cost of animal research. The current results can guide the development of future research methods and help investigators choose appropriate study timelines for various control groups.
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We aimed to determine cut-offs between mild, moderate and severe myelopathy on the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score. ⋯ Mild myelopathy can be defined as mJOA from 15 to 17, moderate as mJOA from 12 to 14 and severe as mJOA from 0 to 11. These categories should be adopted worldwide to standardize clinical assessment of DCM.