Lumbar disc degeneration and atherosclerosis of the abdominal aorta.
METHODS
This study analyzed the relationship of disc degeneration to atherosclerotic changes in the abdominal aorta and stenosis of the ostia of the lumbar and middle sacral arteries, 86 plain radiographs of lumbosacral spines, and the corresponding abdominal aortas were evaluated in connection with routine autopsy.


RESULTS
Disc degeneration, advanced atherosclerotic manifestations, and stenosis of the ostia of the lumbar and middle sacral arteries all increased with age (P < 0.001). After partial rank correlation analysis, keeping the effect of age constant, there was still a statistically significant association between the grade of disc degeneration and stenosis of the ostia of the arteries supplying the disc. The association was stronger at upper lumbar levels (0.001 < P < 0.01) than at lower ones (0.01 < P < 0.05). Furthermore, with complicated lesions in the abdominal aorta, disc degeneration at all lumbar levels increased.


CONCLUSIONS
Atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta and especially stenosis of the ostia of segmental arteries may play a part in lumbar disc degeneration.
Kauppila
L I
LI
Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Penttilä
A
A
Karhunen
P J
PJ
Lalu
K
K
Hannikainen
P
P
D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012447:Sacrum / Q000098:blood supply