LUMBAR SCOLIOSIS AND POSTMENOPAUSAL OSTEOPOROSIS

Abstract

Aim: The aim of our study is to show if there is any relation between scoliosis in the lumbar spine and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Materials and Methods: In 46 postmenopausal women who, according to WHO’s criteria (T-score < −2,5 ), had osteoporosis in lumbar spine and hip and in 40 post-menopausal women with established osteoporosis (T score < −2,5 and at least and vertebral fracture) was estimated clinical and radiological the presence or not scoliotic bow in the lumbar spine. The bone density was measured with DEXA method in the lumbar spine and in the hip and the scoliosis was measured radiologically with Cobb’s method. To all patients has been done full biochemical examination to exclude secondary osteoporosis cases. The radiological examination included face and lateral x-ray of the lumbar and thoracic spine and that was done to detect vertebral fractures and to exclude women with other degenerative lesions. Also were excluded from our study women with primary or metastatic tumors in the spine.

Results: Out of 46 women who had osteoporosis 32 (69%) had scoliotic lumbar bow and in 23 (50%) patients the bow was more than 10 degrees. Out of 40 women who had established osteoporosis 26 (65%) had scoliotic lumbar bow and in 22 patients (55%) the bow was more than 10 degrees. In contrast in the control group of 25 normal postmenopausal women 5 women (20%) had scoliotic lumbar bow and in 2 women (8%) the bow was more than 10 degrees. Also in the group with the 32 osteopenic women (34%) had scoliotic lumbar bow and in 8 women (25%) the bow was more than 10 degrees. Finally in the group of 32 postmenopausal women with degenerative lesions without osteoporosis 13 (31%) had scoliotic lumbar bow and only in 6 (18%) the bow was more than 10 degrees.

Conclusions: After the statistical analysis of the results is evident that postmenopausal women who have osteoporosis have also scoliosis in the lumbar spine.