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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Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is a devastating complication for adult spinal deformity (ASD) after correction surgery. However, there is no consensus on the risk factors of PJK, and whether it can be predicted remains unknown. The aim of this study is to detect the primary risk factors for PJK in ASD, and introduce a novel index for prediction of PJK. ⋯ Preoperative TLK, LL at follow-up, preoperative PT/SS and PT/SS at follow-up were primary factors for PJK. PJK index could be used to predict occurrence of PJK effectively. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
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The present study was designed to ascertain how altered biomechanics in adolescent idiopathic scoliotic (AIS) intervertebral discs (IVDs) affected tissue compositions and aggrecan processing compared to age matched and aged human IVDs. Newborn, 2- and 10-year-old ovine IVDs were also examined. ⋯ Sulphated KS and 3-B-3(+) CS were prominently associated with IVD maturation and AIS IVDs, while the 2-B-6(+) CS isomer was associated with immature IVD tissues. The polydispersity of aggrecan in AIS IVDs, which was similar to in old human and ovine IVDs, reflected altered processing in the AIS IVDs in response to the biomechanical microenvironments the disc cells were exposed to in AIS IVDs. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.