Familial predisposition for degenerative disc disease. A case-control study.
METHODS
This case-control study was undertaken to determine if relatives of patients who had been admitted for surgery for degenerative disc disease-related problems were at increased risk for lower back pain or sciatica.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if familial factors play a role in placing a person at risk for development of degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine.


BACKGROUND
It is known that smoking and various occupational factors can place a person at risk for degenerative disc disease problems. It is not known if a familial predisposition may also exist.


METHODS
The family members and relatives of 65 patients who had undergone surgery for lumbar degenerative disc disease were interviewed with a standardized questionnaire and compared with a control group of 67 patients who had been admitted to hospital for non-spine-related orthopedic procedures. The same interview and standardized questionnaire was used for both groups by a single observer.


RESULTS
In the study group of 65 patients who had undergone surgery for degenerative disc disease, 44.6% were noted to have a positive family history, whereas 25.4% of the patients in the control group had a positive family history. Eighteen and one-half percent of relatives in the study group had a history of having spinal surgery, compared with only 4.5% of the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that a familial predisposition to degenerative disc disease can exist along with other risk factors.
Simmons
E D
ED
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Buffalo General Hospital, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA.
Guntupalli
M
M
Kowalski
J M
JM
Braun
F
F
Seidel
T
T
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged