title: Prevalence of Lumbar Disc Herniation in Adolescent Males in Seoul, Korea: Prevalence of Adolescent LDH in Seoul, Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors surveyed the prevalence and the clinical character of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in Korean male adolescents, and the usefulness of current conscription criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data of 39,673 nineteen-year-old males that underwent a conscription examination at the Seoul Regional Korean Military Manpower Administration (MMA) from October 2010 to May 2011 were investigated. For those diagnosed as having lumbar disc herniation, prevalences, subject characteristics, herniation severities, levels of herniation, and modified Korean Oswestry low back pain disability scores by MMA physical grade were evaluated. The analysis was performed using medical certificates, medical records, medical images, and electromyographic and radiologic findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of adolescent LDH was 0.60%(237 of the 39,673 study subjects), and the prevalence of serious adolescent LDH with thecal sac compression or significant discogenic spinal stenosis was 0.28%(110 of the 39,673 study subjects). Of the 237 adolescent LDH cases, 105 (44.3%) were of single level LDH and 132 (55.7%) were of multiple level LDH, and the L4-5 level was the most severely and frequently affected. Oswestry back pain disability scores increased with herniation severity (p<0.01), and were well correlated with MMA grade.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this large cohort of 19-year-old Korean males, the prevalence of adolescent LDH was 0.60% and the prevalence of serious adolescent LDH, which requires management, was relatively high at 0.28%. MMA physical grade was confirmed to be a useful measure of the disability caused by LDH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Do-Keun
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung Seok
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Chong Oon
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: Adolescent; Conscription; Lumbar disc herniation; Prevalence