Jiang Xu, Junlong Zhong, Zongmiao Wan, Jiachao Xiong, Zhenhai Zhou, Honggui Yu, Kai Cao*
Xu et a. J Clin Transl Res 2023; 9(5):23-00059
Published online: October 2, 2023
Abstract
Background: In recent years, the correlations between spinal sequences and aging have been identified. However, the trends in correlations between cervical and distal spinal alignments with aging in asymptomatic populations remain underexplored.
Aim: This study aimed to compare the correlations between cervical and distal spinal sagittal alignments in different age groups, as well as investigate their trends during the aging process in an asymptomatic population.
Methods: A total of 128 asymptomatic healthy volunteers were enrolled and stratified into four groups according to age (Group A: ≤ 20 years; Group B: 21–40 years; Group C: 41–60 years; Group D: > 61 years), with 32 subjects in each group. Then, sagittal spinal parameters, including C0-1 Cobb angle (C0-1 CA), C1-2 Cobb angle (C1-2 CA), C0-2 Cobb angle (C0-2 CA), C2-7 Cobb angle (C2-7 CA), C2-7 sagittal vertical axis (C2-7 SVA), neck tilt (NT), thoracic inlet angle (TIA), T1 slope (TS), thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS), pelvic incidence (PI), and C7-S1 sagittal vertical axis (C7-S1 SVA) were measured, and differences in parameters among the four groups were analyzed. Finally, the trends in correlations between the cervical and distal spinal sagittal parameters were investigated in the different age groups.
Results: No significant correlations were detected between upper cervical sagittal parameters (C0-1 CA, C1-2 CA, C0-2 CA) and distal spinal sagittal parameters in the four groups. An increasing trend with aging was discovered in the correlations between subaxial cervical sagittal parameters and distal spinal sagittal parameters. Lastly, significant correlations were observed between TS and TK, as well as between TIA and TK in the four groups.
Conclusions: Subaxial cervical alignments exhibit a close correlation with distal spinal alignments during the aging process in the asymptomatic population. An increasing trend was observed with age in the correlations between C2-7 CA, C2-7 SVA, and distal spinal sagittal parameters.
Relevance for patients: Given the correlations between the cervical and distal spinal alignments, which tend to increase with age, it is crucial to pay special attention to the influence of C2-7 CA and C2-7 SVA on distal spinal alignments prior to spinal surgery for patients.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18053/jctres.09.202305.23-00059
Author affiliation
1. Nanchang University Spine and Spinal Cord Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
2. The Orthopedic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
*Corresponding author
Kai Cao
The Orthopedic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, 330209, China.
Email: kaichaw@126.com
Handling editor:
Michal Heger
Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, the Netherlands
Department of Pharmaceutics, Jiaxing University Medical College, Zhejiang, China
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