Sagittal balance parameters correlate with spinal conformational type and MRI changes in lumbar degenerative disc disease: results of a retrospective study

Purpose

Spinopelvic parameters can be useful in identifying risk factors for lumbar degenerative disc disease, but few studies assess patients with single-level disc herniation and most do not evaluate symptoms. This comparative retrospective study was aimed to analyse spinopelvic parameters, symptoms and MRI changes in patients with single-level lumbar disc herniation undergoing conservative or surgical treatment.

Methods

Patients with clinical and radiological assessment (Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score) and an MRI evaluation of the lumbar spine were identified and divided into two groups: surgically treated (group A) and not requiring surgery (group B). Spinopelvic parameters were determined on standing profile radiographs of the lumbar spine and pelvis, and mean values were compared to those reported in the literature for normal subjects. MRI findings were graded according to the system described by Pfirrmann et al.

Results

The study included 71 patients with single-level lumbar disc herniation: 26 in group A (39.4 ± 12.1 years) and 45 in group B (51.4 ± 17.2 years). The notable differences in spinopelvic parameter means between the two groups did not reach statistical significance. A positive correlations of age with pelvic tilt and Pfirrmann changes with pelvic incidence was only found in group A, while both groups showed highly significant positive correlations of pelvic incidence with the spine’s conformational type (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Characteristic changes in spinopelvic parameters identified in patients with lumbar degenerative disc disease were a reduction in pelvic incidence, sacral slope and lumbar lordosis, with an increased pelvic tilt. These were found to correlate with MRI changes in surgically treated patients.