title: Confirmation of microevolutionary increase in spina bifida occulta among Swiss birth cohorts.
abstract: Previous studies on the prevalence of spina bifida occulta have indicated a microevolutionary increase in its frequency and possible population differences in the prevalence of the condition. We studied the frequencies of closed and open sacral canals at each sacral level among two birth cohorts in Switzerland. Transverse CT scans and multiplanar reconstruction images of sacra of 95 males and 96 females born in 1940-1950 and 99 males and 94 females born in 1970-1980 in Switzerland were reviewed. We found that individuals born later have significantly more open sacral arches at all sacral levels compared to those born 30-40 years earlier. When results were related to previously published data on Australian cohorts, the trend was the same, but Swiss in both cohorts were less likely to have an open section than Australians at all locations apart from S2. This study confirmed a microevolutionary trend in the opening of sacral canal among two different generations in Switzerland and demonstrated a population difference in the prevalence of spina bifida occulta.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Royal Adelaide Hospital, and Discipline of Orthopaedics and Trauma, The University of Adelaide, Level 4 Bice Building, RAH, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. ychao83@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yu Chao
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Lucian Bogdan
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: Frank Jakobus
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Rühli
authors.forename: Regula
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schiess
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Öhrström
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alkadhi
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henneberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D005075:Biological Evolution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012447:Sacrum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016136:Spina Bifida Occulta / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013115:Spinal Canal / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology