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Objective

Vertebral osteophytes are a characteristic feature of intervertebral disc degeneration. There are, however, few population data concerning the occurrence of and clinico-biological correlates of vertebral osteophytes in both the dorsal and lumbar spine. Our purpose was to determine the frequency and distribution of anterior osteophytes in the thoracic and lumbar spine, and their relationship with both various putative risk factors, including physical activity and obesity, and self-reported back pain.

Methods

Men and women aged 50 years and over were recruited from primary care based registers in 5 UK centers. They were invited to attend for an interviewer administered lifestyle questionnaire, assessment of height and weight, and lateral spinal radiographs. Lateral spinal radiographs were evaluated by a single observer for the presence of osteophytes from T4 to L5 using a semiquantitative score (grade): 0= none, 1= doubtful, 2= mild, 3= moderate, 4= severe. Based on these data 2 summary statistics were derived: the maximum osteophyte grade at any vertebral level (MAX), and the sum of the osteophyte grades at the individual vertebral levels (TOT).

Results

In total, 681 women, mean age 63.3 years, and 499 men, mean age 63.7 years, were studied; 84% of men and 74% of women had at least one vertebral level with a grade 1 or higher osteophyte. Both the sum of the individual grades (TOT) and the proportion of subjects with MAX> or= 2 were greater in men than in women in both the dorsal and lumbar spine, and both increased with age. The pattern of spinal involvement was similar in the sexes, with osteophytes occurring most …