Gender-specific analysis for the association between trunk muscle mass and spinal pathologies

Causal associations between sarcopenia-related traits and intervertebral disc degeneration: a two-sample mendelian randomization analysis

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia (SP) and intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) have a higher incidence in the elderly population. Previous studies have indicated a potential association between SP and IVDD. The objective of this study is to elucidate the potential causal relationship between sarcopenia-related traits and IVDD through Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

METHODS

We utilized a genome-wide association study conducted on the European population to collect aggregated data on sarcopenia and IVDD. Inverse variance weighting was primarily employed, supplemented by MR Egger, weighted median, simple model, and weighted model methods. Additionally, sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the robustness of the findings.

RESULTS

Appendicular lean mass is positively associated with "Other intervertebral disc disorders" (OIDD) and "Prolapsed or slipped disc" (POSD) (OIDD: p = 0.002, OR = 1.120; POSD: p < 0.001, OR = 1.003), while grip strength (GS) is positively associated with POSD (left: p = 0.004, OR = 1.008; right: p < 0.001, OR = 1.010). It is worth mentioning that walking pace has significant causal relationship with "Low back pain" (LBP), "Lower back pain or/and sciatica" (LBPOAS), "Sciatica with lumbago" (SWL) and OIDD (LBP: p < 0.001, OR = 0.204; LBPOAS: p < 0.001, OR = 0.278; SWL: p = 0.003, OR = 0.249; OIDD: p < 0.001, OR = 0.256).

CONCLUSION

The present study revealed the causal relationship between SP-related traits and IVDD and recommended to prevent and treat sarcopenia as a means of preventing IVDD in clinic practice.

Influence of trunk rotator strength on rotational medicine ball throwing performance

BACKGROUND

The strength of the trunk musculature plays an essential role in performance. The aims of this study were to analyze the relationship between the strength of the trunk rotation muscles with rotational medicine ball throwing velocity and distance, to study differences between sex in rotational medicine ball throwing and to compare the asymmetries of trunk rotational strength and rotational medicine ball throwing.

METHODS

Thirty physically active college students participated on the study. Horizontal and low cable woodchop exercises were assessed with a functional electromechanical dynamometer and throwing was measured with a radar and a measuring tape. A Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated for the relation between trunk rotational strength and rotational medicine ball throwing. Independent samples t-test was performed to determine the differences between sex in rotational medicine ball throwing and a paired samples t-test was performed to study the asymmetries.

RESULTS

Large and very large correlations were obtained between trunk rotational strength and rotational medicine ball throwing (r=0.68-0.79). Significant differences and a large effect size were found between males and females for all throwing velocity and throwing distance variables (P<0.05; ES>0.90) and asymmetries in performance of mean velocity throwing (P=0.003; ES=-0.60) and peak velocity throwing (P=0.025; ES=-0.43). No significant differences were found between dominant and non-dominant side in any of the trunk rotator strength assessment conditions (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a large or very large correlation between the STRM and the RMBT in all its modalities. Differences in strength were found between sexes, with no significant differences between dominant and non-dominant sides.

The Relationship Between Low Back Pain and Sagittal Spinal Alignment and Back Muscle Mass in Korean Fishery Workers

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between low back pain (LBP) and sagittal spino-pelvic parameters along with the relationship between LBP and back muscle mass in Korean male and female fishery workers.

METHODS

This retrospective study included a total of 146 subjects who underwent Fishermen's health survey conducted between June 2018 and August 2020. LBP was evaluated through visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Sagittal spino-pelvic parameters were measured from whole spine standing X-rays. Back muscle cross-sectional areas were identified through lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging and body composition was analyzed through bioelectrical impedance analysis.

RESULTS

The study included 75 males and 71 females, with an average age of 58.33 years for males and 56.45 years for females. Female subjects exhibited higher VAS and ODI scores, larger pelvic tilt (PT) and trunk fat mass and smaller trunk muscle mass compared to males. In female, ODI positively correlated with sagittal vertical axis (SVA) and PT. No significant correlations were found between ODI scores and body composition in either sex. The high ODI group showed greater SVA, PT, and pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis and higher trunk fat/muscle ratio. Psoas muscle mass, total and skeletal muscle mass and trunk muscle mass of that group were smaller than those of low ODI group.

CONCLUSION

Spino-pelvic parameters and back muscle mass were associated with ODI and there were differences between Korean male and female fishery workers.

The role of an active muscular subsystem in prone instability test during rest and leg raise conditions

BACKGROUND

Clinicians commonly used prone instability test (PIT) by assessing the posterior-to-anterior (PA) displacement to identify lumbar instability. Most studies focusing on passive subsystem found greater mobility in lower lumbar (L4-L5) than upper lumbar (L1-L3) spine. However, there is still a lack of evidence to demonstrate the role of active subsystem. Additionally, it is unclear whether sex affects PA displacements.

AIM

To determine differences in displacement among five lumbar segments, between two testing positions (rest and leg raise), and between male and female during PIT in individuals with chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP).

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study design.

SETTING

Spine biomechanics laboratory.

POPULATION

Individuals with CNLBP.

METHODS

An electromagnetic tracking system was used to measure PA displacement with sensors attached at T12, S2 and a hand-held dynamometer. Participants were asked to perform PIT, while a 100N force was applied to each lumbar segment during resting and leg raise positions.

RESULTS

Significantly less PA displacement (P<0.05) was seen in lower compared to upper lumbar spine and in leg raise compared to rest at L1 to L4. No significant interaction of sex with different lumbar levels and conditions (P>0.05) during PIT was found.

CONCLUSIONS

Although previous studies have reported that the lower lumbar spine had greater mobility, the lower amount of displacement during the rest position suggests the role of an active subsystem contributing to lumbar stability regardless of sex.

CLINICAL REHABILTATION IMPACT

A reduction in displacement during the leg raise position across L1 to L4 suggesting an interaction of stabilizing subsystems of the spine to provide lumbar stability.

Scoliosis Research Society-22r score is affected by standing whole body sagittal alignment, age, and sex, but not by standing balance or skeletal muscle mass in healthy volunteers

PURPOSE

Aging and spinal disease impair standing whole body sagittal alignment (WBS alignment), which leads to stooping. When WBS alignment deteriorates, compensatory mechanisms are activated to maintain standing posture. Increase of the compensation impairs health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The purpose of this research was to determine whether postural factors, age, and sex affect HRQOL.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study evaluated the influence of WBS alignment, standing body sway (balance), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), aging, and sex on HRQOL in healthy volunteers (n = 150; mean age 40.9 years [20-76], 96 women). Age, sex, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were obtained. HRQOL was assessed with Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22r). WBS alignment and balance were measured by EOS imaging with simultaneous force plate measurement. SMM was measured using a medical body composition analyzer. Based on the bivariate analysis between the SRS-22r subtotal and all parameters, selected ten parameters were used for multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify affecting factors to SRS-22r.

RESULTS

Men had significantly higher weight, height, BMI, and SRS-22r score in all domains. The L4-S1 lumbar lordosis angle was greater in men, and pelvic tilt and knee hyperextension were greater in women. Women had a more stable standing posture, whereas men had significantly higher SMM values. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, sex, and TPA were identified as significant factors affecting SRS-22r.

CONCLUSIONS

In healthy volunteers, SRS-22r is affected by aging, sex (woman had a lower score), and sagittal malalignment. Neither Standing balance nor SMM, however, affect SRS-22r.4.

Probabilistic prediction of segmental body composition in Iranian children and adolescents

Background

Adolescents' body composition is considered an important measure to evaluate health status. An examination of any of the segmental compartments by anthropometric indices is a more usable method than direct methods.

Objectives

To propose a method based on the network approach for predicting segmental body composition components in adolescent boys and girls using anthropometric measurements.

Methods

A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) dataset in the south of Iran, including 476 adolescents (235 girls and 241 boys) with a range of 9–18 years, was obtained. Several anthropometric prediction models based on the network approach were fitted to the training dataset (TRD 80%) using bnlearn, an R add-in package. The best fitted models were applied to the validation dataset (VAD 20%) to assess the prediction accuracy.

Results

Present equations consisting of age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and hip circumference accounted for 0.85 (P < 0.001) of the variability of DXA values in the corresponding age groups of boys. Similarly, reasonable estimates of DXA values could be obtained from age, weight, height, and BMI in girls over 13 years, and from age, weight, height, BMI, and waist circumference in girls under 13 years, respectively, of 0.77 and 0.83 (P < 0.001). Correlations between robust Gaussian Bayesian network (RGBN) predictions and DXA measurements were highly significant, averaging 0.87 for boys and 0.82 for girls (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The results revealed that, based on the present study’s predictive models, adolescents' body composition might be estimated by input anthropometric information. Given the flexibility and modeling of the present method to test different motivated hypotheses, its application to body compositional data is highly appealing.