Socioeconomic and physical characteristics of individuals with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis

Study Design: A descriptive study of the association between demographic factors, and physical characteristics, and degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS). Objective: To shed light on the association between socioeconomic parameters, physical characteristics, and DLSS. Summary of Background Data: Lumbar spinal stenosis is a prevalent and disabling condition in the aging population. DLSS is considered to be the most common type and is essentially associated with disc disease, facet joint arthrosis, ligamentum fl avum thickening, and osteophyte formation. Although there is ample information regarding the association between body mass index, cardiovascular disorders, smoking habits, and disc disease, very little is known about their association with DLSS. Data on the association of body physique (e.g., height and weight) and DLSS are limited. Methods: Two sample populations were studied. The fi rst included 165 individuals with DLSS (mean age, 64 ± 9.9 yr) and the second 180 individuals without spinal stenosis related symptoms (mean age, 62.5 ± 12.6 yr). An evaluation of the cross-sectional area of the dural sac and degenerative listhesis for all participants was performed using computed tomographic lumbar spine images, obtained by Philips EBW station (Brilliance 64, Philips Medical System, Cleveland, OH). All participants were interviewed to obtain demographic, physical, and health data. Independent t test, Mann-Whitney and χ² tests were used to determine the association between parametric and nonparametric variables and DLSS. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to reveal predicting variables for DLSS. Results: Females with stenosis were signifi cantly heavier and shorter than their counterparts in the control group. We also noticed that they delivered babies more often than those in the control group. Prevalence of individuals experiencing diabetes mellitus was signifi cantly higher in the males with stenosis than control group. In the stenosis group, the frequencies of individuals engaged in heavy manual labor (males) and housekeeping (females) were signifi cantly higher than that of their counterparts in the control group. Conclusion: Heavy manual labor and diabetes mellitus in males and housekeeping (females) play major roles in the genesis of DLSS.