Spinal cord MRI signal changes at 1 year after cervical decompression surgery is useful for predicting midterm clinical outcome: an observational study using propensity scores

Background Context

There is little information on the relationship between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2-weighted high signal change (T2HSC) in the spinal cord and surgical outcome for cervical myelopathy. We therefore examined whether T2HSC regression at 1 year postoperatively reflected a 5-year prognosis after adjustment using propensity scores for potential confounding variables, which have been a disadvantage of earlier observational studies.

Purpose

The objective of this study was to clarify the usefulness of MRI signal changes for the prediction of midterm surgical outcome in patients with cervical myelopathy.

Study Design/Setting

This is a retrospective cohort study.

Patient Sample

We recruited 137 patients with cervical myelopathy who had undergone surgery between 2007 and 2012 at a median age of 69 years (range: 39–87 years).

Outcome Measures

The outcome measures were the recovery rates of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores and the visual analog scale (VAS) scores for complaints at several body regions.

Materials and Methods

The subjects were divided according to the spinal MRI results at 1 year post surgery into the MRI regression group (Reg+ group, 37 cases) with fading of T2HSC, or the non-regression group (Reg? group, 100 cases) with either no change or an enlargement of T2HSC. The recovery rates of JOA scores from 1 to 5 years postoperatively along with the 5-year postoperative VAS scores were compared between the groups using t test. Outcome scores were adjusted for age, sex, diagnosis, symptom duration, and preoperative JOA score by the inverse probability weighting method using propensity scores.

Results

The mean recovery rates in the Reg? group were 35.1%, 34.6%, 27.6%, 28.0%, and 30.1% from 1 to 5 years post surgery, respectively, whereas those in the Reg+ group were 52.0%, 52.0%, 51.1%, 49.0%, and 50.1%, respectively. The recovery rates in the Reg+ group were significantly higher at all observation points. At 5 years postoperatively, the VAS score for pain or numbnessin the arms or hands of the patients in the Reg+ group (24.7?mm) was significantly milder than that of the patients in the Reg? group (42.2?mm).

Conclusions

Spinal T2HSC improvement at 1 year postoperatively may predict a favorable recovery until up to 5 years after surgery.