椎间盘退变与终板内微血管形态改变的相关性研究

目的:通过观测大白兔椎间盘退变过程中椎间盘终板内的血管形态以及血流量的改变,探讨终板内微血管的改变与椎间盘退变之间的相关性.方法:选用40只新西兰大白兔随机分为2组,通过切除造模组20只免腰椎棘间、棘上韧带及棘突、关节突,造成力学失稳状态诱导形成椎间盘退变模型.分别在术后4、8个月通过扫描电镜、血流激光多普勒仪测定椎体终板内的血管形态以及血流量.结果:在椎间盘退变过程中,椎间盘终板内的血管芽形态逐渐被破坏,微血管数量相应减少,终板内的血流量也明显减少,同时终板内血流量中心部位(靠近髓核区域)血流量多于终板内周围区域的血流量.结论:椎体终板内微血管的改变可能是椎间盘退变的促进因素.     

椎间盘退变与终板内微血管形态改变的相关性研究

目的:通过观测大白兔椎间盘退变过程中椎间盘终板内的血管形态以及血流量的改变,探讨终板内微血管的改变与椎间盘退变之间的相关性。方法:选用40只新西兰大白兔随机分为2组,通过切除造模组20只免腰椎棘间、棘上韧带及棘突、关节突,造成力学失稳状态诱导形成椎间盘退变模型。分别在术后4、8个月通过扫描电镜、血流激光多普勒仪测定椎体终板内的血管形态以及血流量。结果:在椎间盘退变过程中,椎间盘终板内的血管芽形态逐渐被破坏,微血管数量相应减少,终板内的血流量也明显减少,同时终板内血流量中心部位(靠近髓核区域)血流量多于终板内周围区域的血流量。结论:椎体终板内微血管的改变可能是椎间盘退变的促进因素。     

椎体终板与椎间盘退变

椎间盘退变是导致下腰痛的常见原因,与之密切相关的椎体终板退变也逐渐受到重视.MRI的T1和T2加权像上,退变的椎体终板表现为终板与终板下骨相对于正常终板的信号改变,且与对应的椎间盘退变有较高的相关性.经椎体终板的弥散是椎间盘获得营养的主要途径,同时椎体终板又是脊柱运动单位中最容易受损伤的部位,轴向负荷可导致软骨终板、骨性终板及终板下骨小梁弯曲变形,软骨终板与骨性终板分离.这一系列的终板损伤和软骨终板钙化和骨化会妨碍椎间盘营养供应,导致椎间盘组织学退变.新近研究进一步表明椎体终板与椎间盘退变不仅在组织学上密切相关,而且在力学上也密不可分,椎板形状如曲率也与椎间盘退变和突出存在一定的关联.     

椎间盘软骨终板退变的研究进展

椎间盘的退变与多种因素相关,其中软骨终板作为椎间盘的组成部分,通过其渗透作用为椎间盘提供大部分营养,在维持椎间盘正常功能方面发挥重要作用。软骨终板退变作为椎间盘退变的始动因素近来受到广泛关注。软骨终板退变的具体机制尚不明确,但现有研究表明其退变与年龄、异常应力、局部炎症因子、软骨细胞凋亡、软骨基质退变等因素相关,深入研究各因素在终板退变过程中的具体作用机制将为治疗椎间盘退变性疾病提供新的方法,现对软骨终板退变的主要因素做如下综述。     

腰椎终板、椎间盘退变及椎间盘造影疼痛激发试验的相关性研究

目的探讨下腰痛患者腰椎终板Modic退变、椎间盘退变及CT引导下腰椎间盘造影疼痛激发试验的相关性.方法对45例下腰痛患者常规行腰椎X线和MR检查,分别按Modic终板退变标准（0～3级）与Pearce椎间盘退变标准（Ⅰ～Ⅴ级）对终板和椎间盘进行评估.在CT引导下对45例患者中的40例（120个椎间盘）进行造影和疼痛激发试验,并按Dallas椎间盘造影分级系统（DDD）测评椎间盘退变程度.采用SPSS 11.5统计学软件分析腰椎终板Modic退变、椎间盘退变与腰椎间盘造影疼痛激发试验之间的相关性.结果40例下腰痛患者的腰椎终板Modic分级与椎间盘退变Pearce分级存在较强的相关性（Pearson x^2=43.326,P=0.000）,与椎间盘造影疼痛激发试验有显著相关性（Pearson x^2=27.858,P=0.000）;椎间盘退变Pearce分级与CT椎间盘造影椎间盘退变Dallas分级也呈较强的相关性.结论腰椎终板Modic退变分级与椎间盘退变Pearce分级密切相关,而与椎间盘疼痛激发试验有显著相关性,提示终板Modic退变可能是下腰痛的原因之一.     

软骨终板钙化在椎间盘退变过程中的作用机理

目的：研究椎体软骨终板钙化在椎间盘退变过程中的作用。人新西兰兔随机分为造模与对照组２组,每组发３个月和８个月２个观察亚组。切作造模组动物颈棘上、棘间韧带及分离颈椎后旁两侧肌肉,造成颈椎力学上的失衡而诱导兔颈椎间盘退行性改变。在术后３个月和８个地分别处死,取颈椎间盘组织,行病理学检查在形态学上评定颈椎间盘退变程度,测定不同退变程度椎间盘软骨终板钙化层厚度。结果：退变程度较轻或基本正常的颈椎间盘,软骨     

椎体终板下微循环障碍直接导致椎间盘退变的实验研究

目的 通过建立椎体终板下微循环障碍动物模型,探讨椎间盘退变发病的可能机制.方法 将24只新西兰白兔随机分为实验组和对照组,实验组采用联合应用内毒素与激素的方法制备典型椎体终板下微循环障碍模型,并通过终板微血栓染色证实;对照组为阴性空白对照,不给予任何药物干扰,仅标准饲料喂养.3个月后分析实验组和对照组动物椎间盘的水含量、生化成分含量和组织形态学,从而评估椎间盘的退变程度.结果 终板微血栓染色证实实验组成功构建椎体终板下微循环障碍模型,3个月后实验组动物椎间盘水含量、生物化学成分含量均低于对照组,椎间盘切片染色可见椎间盘退变的表现.结论 椎体终板下微循环障碍可直接导致椎间盘退变,椎间盘营养供给障碍是椎间盘退变的发病机制之一.     

影响椎间盘退变生物化学改变的因素

椎间盘退卞的生物化学改变表现为 :蛋白多糖含量减少 ,硫酸角质素与硫酸软骨素的比例增加 ,Ⅰ型型胶原增多 ,Ⅱ型胶原减少 ,水分减少等 ,这一变化严重影响了椎间盘的生物力学特性 ,由此构成了椎间盘突出的病理基础。近年来 ,随着分子生物学、分子免疫学等医学基础学科的迅速发展 ,椎间盘退变生物化学改变及其影响因素等方面的研究取得了一些进展 ,现在综述如下 :1　应力对椎间盘退变的生物化学影响椎间盘由四周的纤维环、中心的髓核及上下软骨终板组成。正常椎间盘髓核呈流体静压状态 ,椎间盘内压为轴间压载荷的 1.3～ 1.5倍 ,当外载荷达 2 …     

颈椎软骨终板钙化与颈椎间盘退变和椎体骨赘形成的关系

目的：研究颈椎软骨终板钙化与颈椎间盘退变和颈椎椎体骨赘形成的关系。方法：应用组织学方法观察颈前路环锯手术切下的18例脊髓型颈椎病和4例颈椎过伸性损伤致颈椎间盘突出患者的颈椎间盘及相邻的上下椎体标本,研究不同退变程度颈椎间盘软骨终板和椎间盘的形态学变化及椎体骨赘形成过程。结果：退变程度较轻或基本正常的颈椎间盘软骨终板结构良好,潮标清晰,退变程度较重的颈椎间盘软骨终板发生明显纤维化,潮标前移,钙化软骨和软骨下骨板增厚,退变颈椎间盘周边软骨终板潮标明显前移,钙化和骨化层增厚,形成突向外侧的椎体边缘的骨赘。结论：颈椎软骨终板的不断钙化和骨化导致颈椎间盘营养发生障碍可能是启动颈椎间盘退变的关键因素,退变椎体周边软骨终板的不断钙化和骨化是椎体骨赘形成的根本原因。     

Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Is Associated With Aberrant Endplate Remodeling and Reduced Small Molecule Transport

The intervertebral disc is the largest avascular structure in the body, and cells within the disc rely on diffusive transport via vasculature located within the vertebral endplate to receive nutrients, eliminate waste products, and maintain disc health. However, the mechanisms by which small molecule transport into the disc occurs in vivo and how these parameters change with disc degeneration remain understudied. Here, we utilize an in vivo rabbit puncture disc degeneration model to study these interactions and provide evidence that remodeling of the endplate adjacent to the disc occurs concomitant with degeneration. Our results identify significant increases in endplate bone volume fraction, increases in microscale stiffness of the soft tissue interfaces between the disc and vertebral bone, and reductions in endplate vascularity and small molecule transport into the disc as a function of degenerative state. A neural network model identified changes in diffusion into the disc as the most significant predictor of disc degeneration. These findings support the critical role of trans-endplate transport in disease progression and will improve patient selection to direct appropriate surgical intervention and inform new therapeutic approaches to improve disc health. © 2020 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. Published 2020. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

Associations Between Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Grading Schemes and Measures of Disc Function

Disc degeneration is a major cause of spinal dysfunction and pain, but grading schemes concentrate on tissue changes rather than altered function. The aim of this study was to compare disc degeneration grading systems with each other, and with biomechanical measures of disc function. Sixty‐six motion segments (T8–9 to L5–S1) were dissected from cadavers aged 48–98 years. Disc function was assessed by measuring nucleus pressure (IDP) and maximum stresses in the annulus under 1 kN of compression. Detailed “scores” of disc degeneration were based on independent radiographic, macroscopic, and microscopic evaluations. For each evaluation, scores were used to assign a degeneration “grade” (I–IV), and functional measures were then correlated with degeneration scores and grades. Results showed that all measures were reliable (intraclass correlation coefficients: 0.82–0.99). Macroscopic and microscopic assessments were highly correlated with each other (r: 0.57–0.89, p < 0.001) but only weakly correlated with radiographic features. The overall macroscopic and microscopic scores of degeneration increased significantly with age and at lower spinal levels, although the influence of age was less marked in the case of the microscopic scores. IDP decreased with age and at lower spinal levels, but annulus stresses were more variable. Importantly, IDP and annulus stresses decreased consistently with all measures of disc degeneration, and these associations remained strong after controlling for age, gender, and spinal level. We conclude that radiographic and tissue‐based assessments of disc degeneration are consistent with each other, and are more closely related to mechanical (dys)function than to age or spinal level. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:1946–1955, 2019     

Relationship Between Osteopenia and Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in Ovariectomized Rats

Ovariectomy (OVX) can cause bone loss in rats, but little is known about how it also induces lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (LVD). This study investigated how estrogen deficiency affected intervertebral discs in OVX rats. Thirty 3-month-old female Sprague–Dawley rats were divided randomly into three equal groups. The baseline control group (BL) was killed at the beginning of the experiment. An ovariectomy was performed in 10 rats (OVX group) and another group of 10 rats was subjected to a sham surgery (Sham group). The OVX rats were untreated after the surgery to allow for the development of moderate osteopenia. Bone mineral density (BMD) measurement and bone histomorphometric analysis were applied to the segments of lumbar spines in all rats killed 6 months after surgery. The pathological changes of intervertebral discs were observed and the degree of LVD was scored by a histological scoring system. The BMD of the spines (L3–L5) in the OVX group decreased significantly compared with the Sham group. The bone volume indices in the OVX group were significantly lower, but the bone turnover rate parameters were significantly higher than those in the Sham group (P < 0.01). The histological scores for LVD in the OVX group were significantly higher than those in the Sham group (P < 0.01). There was a significant negative correlation between the BMD and Grade II discs in the OVX rats (P = 0.042). In conclusion, LVD occurs in the OVX rats and the degeneration of cartilage end plates may be a pathogenic factor in disc degeneration.No benefits in any form have been or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the support of this article. No funds were received in support of this study.     

Treatment of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) causes a variety of signs and symptoms, such as low back pain (LBP), intervertebral disc herniation, and spinal stenosis, which contribute to high social and economic costs. IDD results from many factors, including genetic factors, aging, mechanical injury, malnutrition, and so on. The pathological changes of IDD are mainly composed of the senescence and apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), the progressive degeneration of extracellular matrix (ECM), the fibrosis of annulus fibrosus (AF), and the inflammatory response. At present, IDD can be treated by conservative treatment and surgical treatment based on patients'' symptoms. However, all of these can only release the pain but cannot reverse IDD and reconstruct the mechanical function of the spine. The latest research is moving towards the field of biotherapy. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are regard as the potential therapy of IDD because of their ability to self‐renew and differentiate into a variety of tissues. Moreover, the non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are found to regulate many vital processes in IDD. There have been many successes in the in vitro and animal studies of using biotherapy to treat IDD, but how to transform the experimental data to real therapy which can apply to humans is still a challenge. This article mainly reviews the treatment strategies and research progress of IDD and indicates that there are many problems that need to be solved if the new biotherapy is to be applied to clinical treatment of IDD. This will provide reference and guidance for clinical treatment and research direction of IDD.     

High Endplate Hounsfield Units Value Indicate Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Following Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion Surgery

Objective

Lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) is a common cause of low back pain and disability, and its prevalence increases with age. The aim of this study is to investigate whether endplate Hounsfield unit (HU) values have an effect on lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) surgery in patients with degenerative lumbar stenosis.

Methods

This study was a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent TLIF surgery in January 2016 to October 2019. One hundred and fifty-seven patients who underwent TLIF surgery for degenerative lumbar stenosis were enrolled in this study. Demographic data was recorded. VAS and ODI values were compared to assess the surgical outcomes in patients with or without process of LDD after TLIF surgery. Correlation analysis was performed to investigate associations between LDD and endplate HU value. Binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to study relationships between the DDD and the multiple risk factors.

Results

There was a statistically significant correlation between LDD, body mass index (BMI), age, paraspinal muscle atrophy, and total endplate scores (TEPS). Also, a strong and independent association between endplate HU value and LDD was found at every lumbar disc level (p < 0.01). After conditioning on matching factors, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher endplate HU (odds ratio [OR]: 1.003, p = 0.003), higher TEPS (OR: 1.264, p = 0.002), higher BMI (odds ratio [OR]: 1.202, p = 0.002), a smaller cross-sectional area (CSA) of the paraspinal muscle preoperatively (OR: 0.096, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of LDD development after TLIF surgery.

Conclusions

There is a significant association between LDD and endplate HU value after TLIF surgery in patients with degenerative lumbar stenosis. Beyond that, results from this study provide a mechanism by which high endplate HU value predisposes to LDD after TLIF surgery.     

脊髓型颈椎病MRI表现和病理改变的关联性研究

目的:通过对脊髓型颈椎病(cervicals pondytotic myelopathy,CSM)的MRI影像表现和病理改变间的关系进行对比研究,以明确CSM的MRI影像表现及其相应的病理改变。方法:通过对120例不同病理分期的CSM患者的MRI影像表现在T_1、T_2加权像上进行信号分析,并得出规律性的结果;将不同病理阶段的CSM患者术后取出的椎间盘组织分为纤维环和髓核两部分,进行编号,送病理检查。应用HE染色法,分别进行切片并观察病理变化。结果:CSM患者不同的MRI表现,有其相对应的基本病理表现。结论:MRI影像改变和病理表现问具有紧密的关联性。MRI影像改变对CSM治疗方法的选择和预后的判断具有重要的指导意义。     

脊髓型颈椎病MRI表现和病理改变的关联性研究

目的：通过对脊髓型颈椎病(cervicals pondytotic myelopathy，CSM)的MRI影像表现和病理改变间的关系进行对比研究，以明确CSM的MRI影像表现及其相应的病理改变。方法：通过对120例不同病理分期的CSM患者的：MRI影像表现在T1、T2加权像上进行信号分析，并得出规律性的结果；将不同病理阶段的CSM患者术后取出的椎间盘组织分为纤维环和髓核两部分，进行编号，送病理检查。应用HE染色法，分别进行切片并观察病理变化。结果：CSM患者不同的MRI表现，有其相对应的基本病理表现。结论：MRI影像改变和病理表现间具有紧密的关联性。MRI影像改变对CSM治疗方法的选择和预后的判断具有重要的指导意义。