AGE-DEPENDENT CORRELATION OF LOW-BACK-PAIN AND LUMBAR DISC DEGENERATION

The prevalence of lumbar disc degeneration in subjects suffering from low-back pain (n = 207; age range 10-49 years) and in age-matched asym ptomatic controls (n = 216) was investigated by magnetic resonance ima ging. The percentage of subjects with degenerated discs increased with age; starting from the age of 15 years, this increase was more rapid in subjects with low-back pain. Concurrently, the number of degenerate d discs was higher in the pain group than in controls. Lumbar disc deg eneration manifests earlier and in a greater percentage of subjects wi th low-back pain than in asymptomatic controls.