Background: Disorders connected with the musculoskeletal and central nervous system dysfunction are the most significant clinical problem worldwide. Our earlier research has shown that back and spinal disorders and lumbar disc disorders were most frequently diagnosed using MRI scanner at the University Clinical Hospital (UCH) in Olsztyn in years 2011-2015. We have also observed that another two diseases of spinal column, spondylosis and cervical disc disorders, were also very prevalent. The main objective of this work was to analyze the prevalence of spondylosis and cervical disc disorders in the study population diagnosed at UCH in years 2011-2015.
Methods: The digital database including patients' diagnostic and demographic information was generated based on MRI reports from years 2011-2015 and analyzed using SPSS software.
Results: Within the study group (n = 13298) the most frequently MRI-diagnosed diseases were musculoskeletal group (M00-M99; n = 7711; 57,98%) and cervical disc disorders (M50; n = 1659; 12,47%) and spondylosis (M47, n = 611; 4,59%). More women (67%) than men (33%) were enrolled in the study, and the largest fraction of the study population was in the range of 51-60 years, with about 1/3 of cases of both diseases diagnosed in early age range of 31-40 years.
Conclusion: Significant number of patients presenting with either of the spine disorders at the young age of 31-40 years points to the necessity of introducing methods preventing disorders of the vertebral column at younger age, preferably at school age.