title: Degenerative Changes in the Cervical Spine Are More Common in Middle-Aged Individuals with Thalidomide Embryopathy than in Healthy Controls.
abstract: Thalidomide was used as a sedative drug for pregnant women in the 1950-60:s and resulted in children born with thalidomide embryopathy (TE), including upper limb malformations. These may alter the motion pattern of the cervical spine by the use of head/shoulder and mouth grip.
  
  
  
  To compare degenerative changes in the cervical spine in TE individuals with healthy controls (CTR).
  
  
  
  Twenty-seven middle-aged TE individuals and 27 age- and gender-matched CTR were examined by cervical spine MRI. The presence of malformations, disc herniation(s), osteophytes, nerve and medullary compression and the degree of disc degeneration (DD) were evaluated.
  
  
  
  Significantly higher degree of DD was seen in the TE group compared with the controls (p<0.001). Similar frequencies of disc herniation and disc space narrowing were observed in the two groups, but more foraminal narrowing was seen in the TE group (p = 0.002). DD was observed relatively frequently at all cervical levels in the TE group, however, mainly at the two lower levels in the CTR.
  
  
  
  Middle-aged individuals with TE have a higher frequency of degenerative changes in the cervical spine than controls, possibly caused by an altered load on the cervical spine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Kungälv Hospital, 442 41, Kungälv, Sweden.|Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Shadi A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ghassemi Jahani
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Aina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danielsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Section of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Department of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ab-Fawaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Queen Silvia Children Hospital, 413 19, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Department of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hebelka
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Section of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Department of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Barbro
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Danielson
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brisby
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006225:Hand / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D007866:Leg / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D054850:Osteophyte / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D013792:Thalidomide