Prevalence of isthmic lumbar spondylolisthesis in nondiabetic subjects and NIDDM patients.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the prevalence of lumbar spondylolytic spondylolisthesis (LSS) in nondiabetic and diabetic subjects.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of 1,147 randomly selected nondiabetic subjects and 892 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients, 45-64 years of age. LSS was diagnosed radiographically using a lateral view of the lumbosacral spine.


RESULTS
No significant difference was seen in the prevalence of LSS between nondiabetic (6.0%) and diabetic (5.7%) subjects. LSS was more frequent in nondiabetic men (7.7%) than in nondiabetic women (4.6%; P = 0.026), whereas diabetic patients showed no significant sex difference in the prevalence of LSS (men 5.6% and women 5.9%).


CONCLUSIONS
NIDDM does not predispose one to lumbar spondylolisthesis. However, diabetes seems to abolish the sex difference in the prevalence of LSS observed in nondiabetic populations.
Virta
L
L
Rehabilitation Research Centre of Social Insurance Institution, Turku, Finland.
Rönnemaa
T
T
Laakso
M
M
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*