Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common disorders, with many possible causes including intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) and Modic changes. In this study we aimed to analyze whether the distribution pattern of Modic changes in the vertebral end-plates was associated with the severity of IVDD.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of a retrospective database. Patients with constant LBP were evaluated in terms of IVDD and Modic changes on lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging. Statistical analyses were specifically performed for the lower lumbar levels.
Results: We evaluated 527 patients. Modic changes were detected in 25% of the patients. Severe IVDD was detected in 90% and 88% of patients with Modic changes through the whole end-plates at L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels, respectively. Patients with Modic changes at L5-S1 level had significantly lower lumbar lordosis. Presence of severe IVDD at L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels was associated with 2.7- and 2.9-times higher risk of more widely distributed Modic changes in those vertebral end-plates, respectively.
Conclusions: Severe IVDD was significantly more common in patients with Modic changes through the whole end-plate and in those with Modic type I changes.
Keywords: Disc degeneration; End-plate; Low back pain; Modic changes.
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