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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Limited evidence exists on secular trends of analgesics for spinal pain. We investigated general practitioner's (GP) recommendations of analgesic medicines for spinal pain and investigated characteristics associated with their recommendation. ⋯ GP's analgesic recommendations for spinal pain have become increasingly divergent from guideline recommendations over time.
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Intervertebral disc with Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is suggested to be an etiology of Modic type I changes in the adjacent bone marrow. However it is unknown if disc cells can respond to P. acnes and if bone marrow cells respond to bacterial and disc metabolites draining from infected discs. ⋯ Disc cell responsiveness to P. acnes associates with the presence of lumbar Modic changes. Furthermore, bone marrow cells had an inflammatory response to the cocktail of disc cytokines and P. acnes metabolites. These data indicate that low virulent P. acnes infection of the disc is a potential exacerbating factor to Modic changes.
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Although lumbar spondylolysis is encountered in general population with an incidence estimated to be 3-10%, limited information is available for children. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of spondylolysis according to associated vertebral bony malformation and spinopelvic parameters in children under eight requiring CT evaluation for unrelated lumbar conditions. ⋯ We observed a prevalence peak of unilateral spondylolysis in the context of a specific malformation in young infants under age 4 with normal pelvic incidence, and, then, a progressive increase in the prevalence of bilateral isolated spondylolysis.
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To examine a possible correlation of infrarenal aortic diameter and aortoiliac bifurcation level with lumbar disc degenerative changes. ⋯ This study showed a significant, direct correlation of the infrarenal aortic diameter and the level of aortoiliac bifurcation with lumbar intervertebral degenerative changes according to the Pfirrmann grading system. The associations were independent of well-known risk factors of atherosclerosis and from each other.