Investigation of vertebral "end plate sclerosis"

Objective: To evaluate the association between vertebral "end plate scleros is" and neck pain. Design: A retrospective study was carried out of lateral cervical spine rad iographs with a Picture Archive and Communication System (PACS). Patients: Two hundred patients' files were randomly assessed, comprising fo ur equal groups, A to D. The mean ages of the patients were 62+/-7.4 years, 61+/-7.5 years, 40+/-5.6 years and 23+/-5.6 years respectively. In group A , all patients had symptoms of neck pain and a radiographic diagnosis of "e nd plate sclerosis" of the cervical spine. In groups B to D, asymptomatic p atients were recruited and their age groups were 50-69, 30-49 and 10-29 yea rs respectively. Using the PACS, the radiographic density and the sagittal diameter, thickness and area of the end plates at the C5 level were measure d. Results and conclusions: No significant differences were found in the radio graphic density of the end plates either between the symptomatic and asympt omatic groups (groups A and B), or between different age groups (groups B, C and D). A significant increase in end plate area and thickness was found, however, in both group B (P<0.005) and group C (P<0.01) in comparison with group D. This indicates that the extent of end plate sclerosis increases w ith age. Our results suggest that the radiographic density of cervical vert ebral end plates correlates neither with neck pain nor with increasing age. The radiological sign of "end plate sclerosis" may be over-reported, furth er limiting its value in the assessment of patients with cervical spondylos is.