THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF VERTEBRAL DEFORMITY IN ELDERLY CHINESE MENAND WOMEN

The following health consequences of vertebral deformity in Hong Kong elderly Chinese men and women were studied: the prevalence of back pai n, disability due to back pain, and low morale. Lateral X-ray films we re taken of the thoracic and lumbar spine of 796 community-dwelling Ch inese subjects (396 men, 400 women) (aged 70-79). Subjects with one or more definitely deformed vertebra (reduction in vertebral height 3 SD or more below the mean) were classified as definite cases, those with one or more mildly deformed vertebra (reduction in vertebral height 2 -2.99 SD below the mean) as mild cases, and the rest as controls. The prevalence and consequences of back pain were measured by a standardiz ed questionnaire, and morale was measured by the Geriatric Morale Scor e. The relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of having b ack pain and being depressed were calculated by logistic regression. C lassifications included 16% of men and 30% of women as definite cases, 37% of men and 35% of women as mild cases, and 47% of men and 35% of women as controls. The relative risk (RR) of back pain was 2.3 (95% CI 1.4-3.9) (P < 0.05) in women with definite deformity and 1.5 (95% CI 0.9-2.5) (P > 0.05) in women with mild deformity, as compared with con trols. Sixty-four per cent of all men had back pain. This prevalence w as much higher than figures obtained in a previous survey on low back pain. The prevalence of back pain did not differ by deformity status, but more men with vertebral deformity were on analgesic. There was no significant association between disability due to back pain and verteb ral deformity in women. The RR for having a low morale score (of 5 and below) was 2.3 (95% CI 1.3-4.1) (P < 0.05) in women with mild deformi ty; men with vertebral deformity did not have a low morale. It was con cluded that vertebral deformity was associated with significant back p ain and psychological morbidity in elderly Chinese women. Although men with vertebral deformity did not report more back pain, more were on analgesics than controls.