Abdominal Aortic Calcification and Exostoses at the Hand and Lumbar Spine: The Framingham Study

Bony proliferation (exostoses) and vascular calcification are common in elderly men and women, but it is unclear whether they have a common etiology. Lateral lumbar and hand radiographs were obtained (1967–1970) in 777 men and 1,241 women (mean age 59, range 47–80 years) from the Framingham Heart Study. Each group of hand exostoses, specifically apiostoses (tufting), enthesophytes, and osteophytes, was graded on a scale of 0–3 (absent to severe) and summed across phalanges of digits 2–5. Anterior lumbar osteophytes were assessed in intervertebral spaces T12−L5 and abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) at lumbar segments L1-L4. Information on age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol level, diabetes, and estrogen replacement therapy in women was obtained at the time of radiography and adjusted for in multivariate analyses. We used multivariable logistic regression models to assess the relationship between AAC (dependent variable) and exostoses for each sex. Multivariable adjusted logistic regression revealed a significant association between increased anterior lumbar osteophytes and prevalent AAC in men [odds ratio (OR) = 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–1.3 per unit increase in osteophytes] and in women (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.1–1.4). There also was an inverse association between enthesophytes and AAC in women only (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.73–0.92). Apiostoses were weakly associated with AAC in men only. Hand osteophytes were not associated with AAC. In conclusion, in this cross-sectional study, anterior lumbar osteophytes and AAC occurred in the same individuals after adjustment for age and other covariates. In general, hand exostoses were not associated with aortic calcification.     

Thoracic osteophyte as a cause of symptomatic greater splanchnic nerve compression. Case report

Thoracic osteophytes are a common feature of degenerative spine disease. However, it is rare that osteophytes overgrowth on the anterior surface of thoracic spine results in the compression of vital structures and causes symptoms. A 39-year old man with a two-year history of thoracic and upper abdominal pain was admitted to the neurosurgery ward after having been seen by several specialists. Thoracic spine MRI and CT scans were analyzed. Osteophytes were identified on the anterolateral right side at level T8–T9 and were indicated as a possible cause of the symptoms. After obtaining patient consent, surgery was performed with transthoracic access to the anterolateral surface of the spine. Intraoperatively, the greater splanchnic nerve was released by osteophyte removal. The patient reported improvement of the preoperative symptoms at the six-month and two-year follow-up visit. Postoperative MRI indicated complete osteophyte excision. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of symptomatic sympathetic trunk branch compression by thoracic osteophytes.     

手术治疗食管型颈椎病1例

男性患者,78岁,因"吞咽困难半年,加重2个月"于2018年3月5日入院.患者可进流食及半流食,但进食固体食物时咽喉部梗阻感明显.患者无四肢麻木无力,无行走不稳,无胸腹部束带感,无大小便功能异常.体重无下降.体格检查:颈部活动无受限,四肢感觉肌力正常,生理反射无减弱或亢进,病理征阴性.颈椎正侧位X线显示颈椎退行性改变,...     

Giant thoracic osteophyte: A distinct clinical entity

Calcified lesions described within the neural axis are classified as either an ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, or ossification of the ligamentum flavum. We aim to describe a unique pathologic entity: the giant thoracic osteophyte. We identified four patients who were surgically treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital from 2006 to 2012 with unusual calcified lesions in the ventral aspect of the spinal canal. In order to differentiate giant thoracic osteophytes from calcified extruded disc material, disc volumetrics were performed on actual and simulated disc spaces. All patients underwent operative resection of the calcific lesion as they had signs and/or symptoms of spinal cord compression. The lesions were found to be isolated, large calcific masses that originated from the posterior aspect of adjacent thoracic vertebral bodies. Pathological examination was negative for tumor. Adjacent disc volumes were not significantly different from the index disc (p = 0.91). A simulated calculation hypothesizing that the calcific mass was extruded disc material demonstrated a significant difference (p = 0.01), making this scenario unlikely. In conclusion, giant thoracic osteophyte is a unique and rare entity that can be found in the thoracic spine. The central tenant of surgical treatment is resection to relieve spinal cord compression.     

Obturator nerve impingement caused by an osteophyte in the sacroiliac joint: A case report

BACKGROUNDCases of obturator nerve impingement (ONI) caused by osteophytes resulting from bone hyperplasia on the sacroiliac articular surface have never been reported. This paper presents such a case in a patient in whom severe lower limb pain was caused by osteophyte compression of the sacroiliac joint on the obturator nerve.CASE SUMMARYA 65-year-old Asian man presented with severe pain and numbness in his left lower limb, which became aggravated during walking and showed intermittent claudication. The physical examination revealed that the muscle strength of the left lower limb had decreased and that the passive knee flexion test result was positive. Computed tomography (CT) and 3D reconstruction showed a large osteophyte located in the anterior lower part of the left sacroiliac joint. The results of electrophysiological examination showed peripheral neuropathy. A CT-guided obturator nerve block significantly reduced the severity of pain in this patient. According to the above findings, ONI caused by the osteophyte in the sacroiliac joint was diagnosed. This patient underwent an operation to remove the bone spur and symptomatic treatment. After therapy, the patient''s pain and numbness were significantly relieved. The last follow-up was performed 6 mo after the operation, and the patient recovered well without other complications, returned to work, and resumed his normal lifestyle.CONCLUSIONOsteophytes of the sacroiliac joint can cause ONI, which leads to symptoms including severe radiative pain in the lower limb in patients. The diagnosis and differentiation of this disease should attract the attention of clinicians. Surgical excision of osteophytes should be considered when conservative treatment is not effective.     

超声观察英夫利西单抗治疗强直性脊柱炎患者骨质改变的研究

目的 应用超声观察英夫利西单抗治疗前、后强直性脊柱炎患者骨质改变的情况,并探讨其临床意义。方法 48例活动性AS患者均满足1984年改良的纽约分类标准,并签署知情同意书,所有患者均接受6次infliximab 5 mg/kg 静脉输注。用高分辨率B超和能量型多普勒超声观察英夫利西单抗治疗前、后下肢关节及肌腱附着点的骨质形态学及血流供应的变化。并分别在0和30w记录背痛VAS评分,关节肿痛及CRP、ESR和BASDAI、BASFI、BASMI等指标。结果 48例AS患者完成试验,其中31例复查了超声检查。治疗前48例患者超声检查发现骨侵蚀有37处,骨赘有2处,肌腱增厚有17处,滑囊炎有15处,肌腱钙化1处,异常血流数有22处,关节积液11处,滑膜增生1处。英夫利西单抗治疗后30w,31例患者复查超声发现骨侵蚀8处,多普勒异常血流1处,与治疗前比较统计学有显著差异（P<0.01）,滑囊炎3处,与治疗前比较统计学有差异（P<0.05）。骨侵蚀中以股骨大转子肌腱点最多,有13处,治疗后只有2处;膝关节内侧副韧带有7处,治疗后为2处,与治疗前相比有统计学差异（P<0.05）。骨赘治疗前有2处,治疗后无进展,仍为2处,与治疗前相比无统计学差异（P>0.05）。治疗前后各临床指标均有明显好转,统计学有显著差异（P<0.01）。结论 超声可清晰显示肌腱附着点及关节的骨侵蚀、骨赘形成,并可发现肌腱增厚、滑囊炎、关节滑膜增生及异常血流等情况,能更实时反映AS患者骨质改变的过程及监测疗效。     

中医综合护理对骨刺颗粒联合消炎膏治疗膝骨关节炎的效果

目的 探讨中医综合护理在膝骨关节炎(KOA)治疗中的效果.方法 将133例骨科住院KOA患者按照简单随机原则分为观察组和对照组,其中观察组75例,对照组58例.观察组接受中医综合护理(包括内服中药护理、外用中药护理、情志调节、康复指导、饮食护理),对照组接受常规护理措施.治疗前后采用“健康调查简易量表”对两组患者进行评估,治疗后采用《中医病证诊断疗效标准》中“骨痹”的评价标准对患者进行疗效评估.结果 观察组治疗后的体能、精神影响、社会活动、心理健康、体能影响、精力、身体疼痛、一般健康等指标的评分均明显高于对照组[(76.22±11.35)比(67.62±11.53)分,(54.22±11.38)比(48.73 ±9.40)分,(77.49±12.50)比(65.22±10.62)分,(68.33±10.72)比(60.31 ±11.55)分,(42.53 ±6.21)比(37.41 ±8.05)分,(61.61 ±9.54)比(50.27±5.62)分,(70.22±10.08)比(63.72 ±8.58)分,(66.95±9.31)比(59.27 ±8.47)分],差异有统计学意义(T值分别为4.303 5,2.972 0,5.987 8,4.1363,4.141 8,8.0345,3.9309,4.905 2；P＜0.05).两组治疗结束后,根据《中医病证诊断疗效标准》中之“骨痹”疗效标准,观察组的显效率高于对照组(98.67％比93.10％),但两者间差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 中医综合护理及治疗可明显提高KOA患者的治疗效果,改善患者的生活质量.