Vertebral osteophytosis and vertebral deformities in an elderly populationsample

Aim of the study. We investigated the association between vertebral osteoph ytosis and vertebral deformities in an elderly population sample, and the i nfluence of some risk factors on spinal osteophytosis and deformities. Subjects and methods. A population sample of 280 women and 263 men, all Zag reb residents older than 45 years, participated in the study. Radiographs o f the thoracic and lumbar spine were evaluated for the presence of osteophy te formation and vertebral deformities. Osteophyte size was graded on a sca le from 0 to 4. Vertebral deformities were determined by the semiquantitati ve method of McCloskey. The chi-square test was used to analyse the associa tion between vertebral osteophytes and deformities, and the influence of se veral risk factors was investigated by discriminate analysis. Results. The prevalence of vertebral osteophytosis was 47.9% in men (36.5% in the thoracic and 21.3% in the lumbar spine) and 56.0% in women (36.0% in the thoracic and 23.9% in the lumbar spine). The prevalence of vertebral d eformities was 8.3% in men (5.3% in the thoracic and 3.4% in the lumbar spi ne) and 12.5% in women (7.9% in the thoracic and 5.4% in the lumbar segment ). There was a significant association between deformities and osteophytosi s on the lumbar segment of the spine (P = 0.0240 men, P = 0.0152 women). An alysing the influence of several risk factors, age was found to be the most associated with both vertebral deformities and osteophytosis. Obesity was significantly associated with osteophytosis. Conclusions. We found a significant association between vertebral osteophyt osis and deformities in the lumbar segment and no relationship in the thora cic segment. This implicates different etiologies of vertebral deformities in the thoracic and lumbar spine.