Morphologic Patterns of Spinal Degeneration and Trauma in a Nigerian Population: A Retrospective Radio-Anatomic Study.

BACKGROUND

Understanding the morphologic patterns of degenerative and traumatic spinal conditions is essential for precise diagnosis and management plans. This study evaluates the sequence of structural changes in degenerative spinal disorder patients' discovertebral unit and the traumatic spinal injury patterns in a northwestern Nigerian population.

METHODS

A hospital-based retrospective study reviewed radiologic images of 307 patients with spinal degeneration (n = 269) and trauma (n = 38) at 2 tertiary hospitals in northwest Nigeria. The study presented descriptive and inferential statistics, with a 95% confidence interval and significance level with a P value ≤0.05.

RESULTS

The average age of patients with spinal degeneration was 52.5 years, with females (60.6%) and those aged 41 years and older (76.6%) predominant, whereas patients with trauma averaged 36.3 years and were predominantly male (78.9%) and aged 21-40 years (60.5%). Common clinical manifestations included radicular pain (53.9%) in degenerative cases and spinal shock (36.8%) in trauma. Correlation analysis showed significant links between mild/moderate straightening of spinal curvature and clinical manifestations (P = 0.001). Age-influenced osteophyte and intervertebral disc degeneration, especially in the group aged 41-60 years (P = 0.001), with AO/Magerl type A spinal injury, was more common in males (P = 0.022) and the group aged 21-40 years (P = 0.019), indicating notable demographic trends. Intervertebral disc degeneration peaks at L3, L4, and L5, notably grade III (P = 0.001), and Modic II frequencies increase from L1 (n = 16) to L5 (n = 35) without significant association (P = 0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed different morphologic patterns in degenerative and traumatic spinal conditions in the study population, with considerable age, gender, and symptom correlations. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding these patterns for effective diagnosis and management strategies of spinal degeneration and trauma.