The relationship between chronic type III acromioclavicular joint dislocation and cervical spine pain.
BACKGROUND
This study was aimed at evaluating whether or not patients with chronic type III acromioclavicular dislocation develop cervical spine pain and degenerative changes more frequently than normal subjects.


METHODS
The cervical spine of 34 patients with chronic type III AC dislocation was radiographically evaluated. Osteophytosis presence was registered and the narrowing of the intervertebral disc and cervical lordosis were evaluated. Subjective cervical symptoms were investigated using the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ). One-hundred healthy volunteers were recruited as a control group.


RESULTS
The rate and distribution of osteophytosis and narrowed intervertebral disc were similar in both of the groups. Patients with chronic AC dislocation had a lower value of cervical lordosis. NPQ score was 17.3% in patients with AC separation (100% = the worst result) and 2.2% in the control group (p < 0.05). An inverse significant nonparametric correlation was found between the NPQ value and the lordosis degree in the AC dislocation group (p = 0.001) wheras results were not correlated (p = 0.27) in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study shows that chronic type III AC dislocation does not interfere with osteophytes formation or intervertebral disc narrowing, but that it may predispose cervical hypolordosis. The higher average NPQ values were observed in patients with chronic AC dislocation, especially in those that developed cervical hypolordosis.
Gumina
Stefano
S
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Rome Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, Rome, Italy. s.gumina@tiscali.it
Carbone
Stefano
S
Arceri
Valerio
V
Rita
Alessandro
A
Vestri
Anna R
AR
Postacchini
Franco
F
D000173:Acromioclavicular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D008141:Lordosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D055009:Spondylosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult