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. 2019 May;62(5):430-438.
doi: 10.1002/ajim.22957. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Factory and construction work is associated with an increased risk of severe lumbar spinal stenosis on MRI: A case control analysis within the wakayama spine study

Yuyu Ishimoto  1   2 , Cyrus Cooper  1   3 , Georgia Ntani  1   3 , Hiroshi Yamada  2 , Hiroshi Hashizume  2 , Keiji Nagata  2 , Shigeyuki Muraki  4 , Sakae Tanaka  5 , Noriko Yoshimura  6 , Munehito Yoshida  2 , Karen Walker-Bone  1   3
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Factory and construction work is associated with an increased risk of severe lumbar spinal stenosis on MRI: A case control analysis within the wakayama spine study

Yuyu Ishimoto et al. Am J Ind Med. 2019 May.

Abstract

Background: To explore the association of MRI-diagnosed severe lumbar spinal stenosis with occupation.

Methods: Occupational data were collected by questionnaire and all participants underwent spine MRI scans using the same protocol. Central lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) was graded qualitatively. Those with severe LSS (>two-thirds narrowing) were compared with the controls with lesser degrees of stenosis or no stenosis.

Results: Data were available for 722 subjects, mean age 70.1 years. 239 (33%) cases with severe LSS were identified. Factory/construction workers had an almost four-fold increased risk of severe LSS after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, and walking speed amongst those aged <75 years (OR 3.97, 95%CI 1.46-10.85). Severe LSS was also associated with squatting ≥1 h/day (OR 1.76, 95%CI 1.01-3.07) but this association became non-significant after adjustment.

Conclusion: Further research is needed but this study adds more evidence that occupational factors are associated with an increased risk and/or severity of degenerative disease of the lumbar spine.

Keywords: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS); MRI; factory and construction workers; occupation; occupational exposures.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Qualitative central stenosis grading
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of the adjusted associations (OR and 95%CIs) among cases with severe LSS, as compared with controls without, among people from the different occupational, stratified by age
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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