Restoration of bone turnover rate after decompression surgery in patients with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis: preliminary report.
METHODS
Prospective short-term longitudinal study.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate changes in the bone turnover rate in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) before and after decompression surgery. SUMMARY OF BACK GROUND DATA: Decompression surgery enables elderly patients with LSS to participate in daily activities and physical exercise by reducing or alleviating leg and back pain. However, there have been no studies to date regarding the effect of decompression surgery on bone metabolism in such patients.


METHODS
Twenty-three patients with spinal stenosis who were scheduled to undergo decompression surgery were enrolled in our study. Ten patients were given oral bisphosphonates after the operation (B+ group), while the remaining 13 patients did not receive oral bisphosphonate (B- group). In both groups, walking distance without rest, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores, duration of symptoms, bone formation, and resorption markers, and bone mineral density were recorded before surgery. Three months after surgery, bone turnover markers, a single trial for walking distance without rest and ODI scores were measured for both groups.


RESULTS
Three months after the operation, the bone resorption marker u-NTx was decreased significantly for both groups. Although there was a decrease in bALP, a bone formation maker, in both groups, the change in each group was not statistical significant. Distance in a single trial walk was increased and ODI scores were decreased significantly for both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that decompression surgery has a beneficial effect on bone metabolism in patients with LSS who have walking intolerance and limited physical activity.
Kim
Ho-Joong
HJ
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
Hwan-Mo
HM
Chun
Heoung-Jae
HJ
Kang
Kyoung-Tak
KT
Kim
Hak-Sun
HS
Park
Jin-Oh
JO
Moon
Eun-Su
ES
Park
Kwang-Hwan
KH
Moon
Seong-Hwan
SH
D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D016723:Bone Remodeling; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking
D024042:Collagen Type I; D010455:Peptides; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase