PMID- 32360761 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20210622 LR - 20210622 IS - 1878-1632 (Electronic) IS - 1529-9430 (Linking) VI - 20 IP - 9 DP - 2020 Sep TI - Long-term effect of physical inactivity on thoracic and lumbar disc degeneration-an MRI-based analysis of 385 individuals from the general population. PG - 1386-1396 LID - S1529-9430(20)30166-2 [pii] LID - 10.1016/j.spinee.2020.04.016 [doi] AB - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The correlation between physical inactivity, thoracolumbar disc degeneration, and back pain remains unclear. PURPOSE: This study investigated the relationship between short- and long-term physical inactivity and degenerative changes of the thoracic and lumbar spine in a southern German cohort from the general population over a time period of 14 years. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: This study was designed as a cross-sectional case-control study, nested in a prospective cohort from the "Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg/Kooperative Gesundheitsforschung in der Region Augsburg" (KORA) study. PATIENT SAMPLE: All participants in the population-based KORA study were assessed using a physical activity questionnaire to establish a baseline in 1999-2001 (exam 1), within an initial follow up questionnaire in 2006-2008 (exam 2), and a second follow-up questionnaire between 2013 and 2014 (exam 3). A subsample of this group (400 subjects) underwent full body MR scan performed on a 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanner current with exam 3. OUTCOME MEASURE: Data regarding physical inactivity over a time period of 14 years and back pain, and quantification of thoracic and lumbar disc degeneration on magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: Quantification of thoracic and lumbar disc degeneration was performed using the Pfirrmann score. Physical activity was grouped as no physical activity, irregularly for 1 hour, regularly for 1 hour, or regularly for >/=2 hours. This was used to calculate another variable "physical inactivity," with the options of irregular activity /=1 hour. Physical labor, walking, and cycling activity were additionally investigated. Correlations between physical inactivity measurements and thoracic and lumbar disc degeneration were analyzed via linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, BMI, hypertension, diabetes, and back pain. RESULTS: In total, 385 individuals (mean age: 56 years, SD +/- 9.19; 58.2% male) were included in this study. Mean summed Pfirrmann score was 2.41 (SD +/- 4.19) in the thoracic and 1.78 (SD +/- 1.81) in the lumbar spine. The level of current exercise in our cohort varied with 113 (29.4%) subjects exercising regularly >/=2 hours per week, 118 (30.7%) regularly 1 hour per week, 57 (14%) irregularly for about 1 hour per week, and 97 (25.2%) stated not to exercise at exam 3. Disc degeneration was more apparent in those with irregular activity <1 hour compared to those with regular activity of >/=1 hour and more per week (p<.01) and in those with no activity compared to those with regular activity of >/=2 (p<.001) measured using exam 3. Less physical activity over a time period of 14 years correlated with an increase of disc degeneration of the thoracic and lumbar spine after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, hypertension and diabetes mellitus (p<.05). There was no statistically significant association between physical labor, walking activity, or cycling activity with disc degeneration. Additionally, no significant correlations between degree of disc degeneration (p=.990), degree of physical inactivity (p=.158), and back pain were observed. CONCLUSION: Degree of physical inactivity as measured over a time period of 14 years demonstrated a strong correlation with disc degeneration of the thoracic and lumbar spine. CI - Copyright (c) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. FAU - Maurer, Elke AU - Maurer E AD - Department for Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, BG Unfallklinik Tuebingen, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Schnarrenbergstrasse 95, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany. FAU - Klinger, Christian AU - Klinger C AD - Department for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany. FAU - Lorbeer, Roberto AU - Lorbeer R AD - Department of Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Hospital, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany. FAU - Rathmann, Wolfgang AU - Rathmann W AD - Department of Biometry and Epidemiology, German Diabetes Center, Dusseldorf, Germany. FAU - Peters, Annette AU - Peters A AD - German Center for Cardiovascular Disease Research, Munich, Germany; Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Hospital, Munich, Germany. FAU - Schlett, Christopher L AU - Schlett CL AD - Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany. FAU - Nikolaou, Konstantin AU - Nikolaou K AD - Department for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany. FAU - Bamberg, Fabian AU - Bamberg F AD - Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany. FAU - Notohamiprodjo, Mike AU - Notohamiprodjo M AD - Department for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; DIE RADIOLOGIE, Sonnenstrasse 17, 80331 Munich, Germany. Electronic address: mike.notohamiprodjo@med.uni-tuebingen.de. FAU - Walter, Sven S AU - Walter SS AD - Department for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany. LA - eng PT - Journal Article PT - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't DEP - 20200430 PL - United States TA - Spine J JT - The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society JID - 101130732 SB - IM MH - Aged MH - Female MH - Humans MH - *Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/diagnostic imaging/epidemiology MH - Lumbar Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging MH - Magnetic Resonance Imaging MH - Male MH - Middle Aged MH - Prospective Studies MH - Sedentary Behavior OTO - NOTNLM OT - Cohort studies OT - Intervertebral disc degeneration OT - Magnetic resonance imaging OT - Physical inactivity OT - Spine EDAT- 2020/05/04 06:00 MHDA- 2021/06/23 06:00 CRDT- 2020/05/04 06:00 PHST- 2019/11/30 00:00 [received] PHST- 2020/04/22 00:00 [revised] PHST- 2020/04/22 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2020/05/04 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2021/06/23 06:00 [medline] PHST- 2020/05/04 06:00 [entrez] AID - S1529-9430(20)30166-2 [pii] AID - 10.1016/j.spinee.2020.04.016 [doi] PST - ppublish SO - Spine J. 2020 Sep;20(9):1386-1396. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2020.04.016. Epub 2020 Apr 30.