Delay in diagnosis of thoracolumbar fractures

Osteoporotic thoracolumbar spine fractures in the elderly: alterations in GNRI and BMP-2 in delayed union and associated factors

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the alterations in the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) levels and identify associated factors in older adults with delayed union of osteoporotic thoracolumbar spine fractures.

METHODS

From June 2021 to June 2023, 139 elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar spine fractures were selected and divided into a delayed group and a normal group according to the fracture healing status at 6 months postoperatively. GNRI and BMP-2 levels were assessed in both cohorts. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the predictive value of GNRI and BMP-2 for delayed union. Multivariate Logistic regression was utilized to identify risk factors associated with delayed union after surgery for osteoporotic thoracolumbar spine fractures. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationships among independent risk factors. Finally, the Generic Quality of Life Inventory-74 (GQOL-74) was employed to assess the quality of life in both groups.

RESULTS

At 6 months post-surgery, 41 of the 139 patients had delayed union and were classified into the delayed group, while 98 cases achieved fracture healing and served as the normal group. The delayed group exhibited obviously reduced GNRI and BMP-2 levels than the normal group. ROC curve analysis indicated that the areas under the curve (AUCs) of GNRI, BMP-2, and their combination for predicting delayed union were 0.826, 0.803, and 0.883, respectively. A higher recovery rate of the injured vertebra height (OR = 1.456, 95% CI: 1.232-1.722, P < 0.001), a lower GNRI (OR = 0.590, 95% CI: 0.444-0.782, P < 0.001), and a lower BMP-2 level (OR = 0.909, 95% CI: 0.850-0.971, P = 0.005) were independent risk factors for delayed union in elderly patients undergoing surgery for osteoporotic thoracolumbar spine fractures. Pearson correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between the recovery rate of the injured vertebra height and GNRI (r = -0.640) as well as BMP-2 (r = -0.614), and a positive correlation between GNRI and BMP-2 (r = 0.751). Although the postoperative quality of life in the delayed group significantly enhanced, it remained significantly lower than that in the normal group.

CONCLUSIONS

Delayed union after surgery in elderly patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar spine fractures is strongly associated with preoperative levels of GNRI and BMP-2. The recovery rate of the injured vertebra height, GNRI, and BMP-2 are independent risk factors for delayed fracture healing. Delayed healing of osteoporotic thoracolumbar spine fractures in the elderly negatively affects the improvement of patients' quality of life.

Suboptimal osteoporosis care in hospitalized patients: a retrospective analysis of vertebral compression fractures detected on computed tomography

Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are the most common osteoporotic fractures. Only 1/3 of patients with VCFs are clinically diagnosed. In our institution, the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) was launched in 2017 to improve osteoporosis management for hospitalized patients. (1) To assess osteoporosis awareness among medical providers for emergency department (ED)/hospitalized patients aged 50 or greater; (2) To estimate the rate of FLS consults or referrals to primary care providers (FLS/PCP) by primary teams. A centralized radiology system was used to examine all thoracic and lumbar computed tomography (CT) scans conducted between June 1, 2017 and June 1, 2022. 449 studies were identified with the radiologic impression "compression fracture". 182 studies were excluded after manual chart review. 267 hospitalizations/ED visits with lumbar and/or thoracic spine CT scans were included. Referrals to FLS (26) or PCP (27) were made in 53 cases (~ 20% of the total). In the ED subgroup (131 hospitalizations), only 17 patients had FLS/PCP referrals. The "compression fracture" was mentioned in 227 (85%) discharge notes (any part), while "osteoporosis" was mentioned in only 74 (28%) hospitalizations. A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups when "osteoporosis" was mentioned in the "assessment and plan" section (p = 0.02). Our data show that the overall osteoporosis care for affected patients is suboptimal. Medical providers often overlook the presence of osteoporosis, leading to a lack of consultation with the FLS of referral to PCPs for further evaluation and treatment.

Comparison of Traumatic Spinal Fracture Patterns Between Motorcyclists and Occupants of Other Nonheavy Motor Vehicles: A Report from the National Spinal Cord and Column Injury Registry of Iran

OBJECTIVE

To compare traumatic spinal injury patterns between motorcyclists and occupants of other nonheavy motor vehicles using data from the National Spinal Cord and Column Injury Registry of Iran.

METHODS

All drivers/riders and passengers of motorcycles, cars, pick-up trucks, and vans registered between January 2017 to July 2023, met the inclusion criteria for the present study. The logistic regression models were used to compare the patterns of vertebral fracture between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

One thousand seven hundred twenty-six spinal fracture patients were identified, 385 (22.3%) motorcyclists and 1341 (77.7%) car occupants with mean ages 33.2 ± 14.3 and 36.1 ± 13.6 years, respectively (P < 0.001). Only 45 (11.7%) motorcyclists used helmets, whereas 856 (63.8%) car occupants used seat belts (P < 0.001). The average numbers of fractured vertebrae were 3.9 ± 1.4 and 3.7 ± 1.1 among car occupants and motorcyclists, respectively (P = 0.004). The proportions of motorcyclists and car occupants with injuries in each spinal region are as follows: lumbar (50.5% of motorcyclists vs. 40.4% of car occupants; P = 0.003), thoracic (39.2% vs. 30.9%; P = 0.01), cervical (24.3% vs. 37.0%; P < 0.001), and sacral (1.3% vs. 7.5%; P < 0.001). The AO Spine type C injuries were present in 6.1% of motorcyclists and 10.1% of car occupants (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Motorcyclists were younger, less educated, had a higher proportion of males, and less commonly used safety devices than car occupants. The most commonly fractured spine region among both groups was the lumbar region. The cervical and sacral vertebrae fractures were significantly more common in car occupants, whereas the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae fractures were significantly more common in motorcyclists.

Sensitivity and specificity of machine learning and deep learning algorithms in the diagnosis of thoracolumbar injuries resulting in vertebral fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Clinicians encounter challenges in promptly diagnosing thoracolumbar injuries (TLIs) and fractures (VFs), motivating the exploration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) technologies to enhance diagnostic capabilities. Despite varying evidence, the noteworthy transformative potential of AI in healthcare, leveraging insights from daily healthcare data, persists.

Research question

This review investigates the utilization of ML and DL in TLIs causing VFs.

Materials and methods

Employing Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) methodology, a systematic review was conducted in PubMed and Scopus databases, identifying 793 studies. Seventeen were included in the systematic review, and 11 in the meta-analysis. Variables considered encompassed publication years, geographical location, study design, total participants (14,524), gender distribution, ML or DL methods, specific pathology, diagnostic modality, test analysis variables, validation details, and key study conclusions. Meta-analysis assessed specificity, sensitivity, and conducted hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (HSROC) analysis.

Results

Predominantly conducted in China (29.41%), the studies involved 14,524 participants. In the analysis, 11.76% (N = 2) focused on ML, while 88.24% (N = 15) were dedicated to deep DL. Meta-analysis revealed a sensitivity of 0.91 (95% CI = 0.86-0.95), consistent specificity of 0.90 (95% CI = 0.86-0.93), with a false positive rate of 0.097 (95% CI = 0.068-0.137).

Conclusion

The study underscores consistent specificity and sensitivity estimates, affirming the diagnostic test's robustness. However, the broader context of ML applications in TLIs emphasizes the critical need for standardization in methodologies to enhance clinical utility.

Risk of fractures and use of bisphosphonates in adult patients with immune thrombocytopenia-A nationwide population-based study

Corticosteroids remain the first-line treatment of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), but increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Bisphosphonates are used for the treatment of osteoporosis, but their usage among patients with ITP has not been systemically described. We investigated the risk of fractures and the use of bisphosphonates in adult patients with primary (pITP) and secondary ITP (sITP) compared with matched comparators in a nationwide registry-based cohort study. We identified 4030 patients with pITP (median age 60 years [IQR, 40-74]), 550 with sITP (median age 59 years [IQR, 43-74]) and 182 939 age-sex-matched general population comparators. All individuals were followed for incident fractures. Bisphosphonate use was estimated for calendar-years and in temporal relation to the ITP diagnosis. Adjusted cause-specific hazard ratio (csHR) for any fracture was 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23; 1.54) for pITP and 1.54 (1.17; 2.03) for sITP. The first-year csHR was 1.82 (1.39; 2.40) for pITP and 2.78 (1.58; 4.91) for sITP. Bisphosphonate use over calendar-years and in the early years following ITP diagnosis was higher among patients with ITP diagnosis compared with the general population. In conclusion, the risk of fractures and the use of bisphosphonates are higher in patients with ITP compared with the general population.

Upright Tomosynthesis of the Lumbar Spine

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

This experimental study investigates the potential of lumbar spine tomosynthesis to offset the traditional limitations of radiographic and computed tomography imaging, that is, superimposition of anatomy and disregard of physiological load-bearing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A gantry-free twin robotic scanner was used to obtain lateral radiographs and tomosyntheses of the lumbar spine under weight-bearing conditions in eight body donors. Tomosynthesis protocols varied in terms of sweep angle (20 versus 40°), scan time (2.4 versus 4.8 seconds), and framerate (16 versus 30 fps). Image quality and vertebral endplate assessability were evaluated by five radiologists with 4-8 years of skeletal imaging experience. Aiming to identify potential diagnostic deterioration near the scan volume margins, readers additionally determined the craniocaudal extent of clinically acceptable image quality.

RESULTS

Tomosynthesis scans effectuated a substantial dose reduction compared to standard radiographs (3.8 ± 0.2 to 15.4 ± 0.8 dGy*cm2 versus 77.7 ± 34.8 dGy*cm2; p ≤ 0.021). Diagnostic image quality and endplate assessability were deemed highest for the 30 fps wide-angle tomosynthesis protocol with good to excellent interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients: 0.846 and 0.946). Accordingly, the craniocaudal extent of acceptable image quality was substantially larger compared to radiography (26.9 versus 18.9 cm; p < 0.001), whereas no significant difference was ascertained for the tomosynthesis protocols with 16 fps (15.3-22.1 cm; all p ≥ 0.058).

CONCLUSION

Combining minimal radiation dose with superimposition-free visualization, 30 fps wide-angle tomosynthesis superseded radiography in all evaluated aspects. With superior diagnostic assessability despite significant dose reduction, load-bearing tomosynthesis appears promising as an alternative for first-line lumbar spine imaging in the future.

Impact of major osteoporotic fractures on the use of healthcare resources in Catalonia, Spain

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the impact of first major osteoporotic fractures (MOF) on health resource use and healthcare expenditures in people aged ≥50 years in Catalonia, Spain.

DESIGN

Observational, retrospective study. The Catalan Health Surveillance System (CHSS) registry was used to obtain sociodemographic, clinical and expenditure data from all public centres in Catalonia (Spain).

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Males and females aged ≥50 years who sustained a first major osteoporotic fracture between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020.

METHODS

Data on admissions to the emergency department, hospitalization and skilled nursing facilities, primary and specialized care visits, nonemergency medical transport, outpatient rehabilitation and pharmacy prescriptions were retrieved for each patient. Monthly and yearly mean usage rates, expenditure in euros (€) and incremental costs one and two years after fracture were calculated.

RESULTS

There were 64,403 patients with first MOF: 47,555 females and 16,848 males with a mean age (standard deviation) of 76.5 (12.0) years. The average annual expenditure increased from €4564 in the year before to €12,331 in the year following a hip fracture. For forearm fractures, the expenditure increased from €2511 to €4251, for vertebral fractures from €4146 to €6659, for pelvic fractures from €4442 to €7124, for humerus fractures from €3058 to €5992, and for multiple fractures from €4598 to €12,028. The average cost for overall fractures experienced a 110.3 % increase. The leading cause of health expenditure in the year following MOF was hospital admission. Expenditure in the second year post-fracture returned to pre-fracture levels. The use of some healthcare resources, especially visits to emergency services, increased in the prefracture month. Male sex, older age and high previous comorbidities were associated with a higher expenditure.

CONCLUSIONS

In people with a first MOF, healthcare expenditure doubled during the first-year post-facture, mostly in relation to inpatient care. The healthcare resource use increased during the previous month. This increase could potentially be attributed to the worsening of pre-existing comorbidities.

Supplementary value and diagnostic performance of computed tomography scout view in the detection of thoracolumbar spine injuries

PURPOSE

Assessing the diagnostic performance and supplementary value of whole-body computed tomography scout view (SV) images in the detection of thoracolumbar spine injuries in early resuscitation phase and identifying frequent image quality confounders.

METHODS

In this retrospective database analysis at a tertiary emergency center, three blinded senior experts independently assessed SV to detect thoracolumbar spine injuries. The findings were categorized according to the AO Spine classification system. Confounders impacting SV image quality were identified. The suspected injury level and severity, along with the confidence level, were indicated. Diagnostic performance was estimated using the caret package in R programming language.

RESULTS

We assessed images of 199 patients, encompassing 1592 vertebrae (T10-L5), and identified 56 spinal injuries (3.5%). Among the 199 cases, 39 (19.6%) exhibited at least one injury in the thoracolumbar spine, with 12 (6.0%) of them displaying multiple spinal injuries. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 47%, 99%, and 97%, respectively. All experts correctly identified the most severe injury of AO type C. The most common image confounders were medical equipment (44.6%), hand position (37.6%), and bowel gas (37.5%).

CONCLUSION

SV examination holds potential as a valuable supplementary tool for thoracolumbar spinal injury detection when CT reconstructions are not yet available. Our data show high specificity and accuracy but moderate sensitivity. While not sufficient for standalone screening, reviewing SV images expedites spinal screening in mass casualty incidents. Addressing modifiable factors like medical equipment or hand positioning can enhance SV image quality and assessment.

The Subjective and Objective Improvement Using Chiropractic Biophysics® Protocols

The aim of this study is to describe the Chiropractic BioPhysics® (CBP®) (Chiropractic BioPhysics, Eagle, USA) technique in alleviating the persistent spine pain syndrome (PSPS) and dysfunction in a 50-year-old female who suffered for many years. The purpose of this study is to provide clinicians with a potential treatment option for failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) and PSPS that doesn't respond to other treatments. The patient did not receive benefits from pharmaceutical and conservative therapies following a low back lifting injury in 2004. After several years of suffering from widespread spinal pain and dysfunction, she received a lumbosacral pedicle screw surgical fixation. The initial surgery was unsuccessful and a follow-up revision and expansion of the fusion failed to alleviate the pain and dysfunction as well. After treatment using CBP, the patient received subjective, objective, and radiographic improvements with long-term stability measured at follow-up. Given that spine pain and low back pain are the number one cause of disability in the world, having economical, repeatable, and measurable techniques to improve even difficult cases is important for astute clinicians treating spine pain.

Corrective osteotomy of global sagittal imbalance in the neglected fracture-dislocation thoracic spine

Background

Neglected fracture-dislocation thoracic spine without neurological deficit is an extremely rare injury. Current studies reveal that global sagittal balance is very important for quality of life (QOL). Complex deformity causes difficulty with dissection in the surgical planning and type of spinal osteotomy. Restoration of global balance parameters are related to a successful outcome, if the surgeon understands the morphology of complex bone deformity and the surgical tactics of spinal osteotomy.

Case presentation

A 23-year-old female presented with untreated thoracic kyphotic deformity without paraplegia (ASIA E), following a motor vehicle accident 2 months earlier. Radiographic imaging and computed tomography scan revealed a complex fracture-dislocation at the T8-T9 level with kyphosis deformity, abnormal C7 plump line, and 65 degrees of sagittal Cobb's angle (T7-T11). The multilevel Ponte osteotomy surgical technique was performed at the apex of the kyphosis. After the patient underwent corrective osteotomy and instrumentation, postoperative radiograph and CT scan revealed 24 degrees of sagittal Cobb's angle (T7-T11). The patient's balance was recovered when followed up at 1 year. The patient's quality of life was improved and thus she was extremely satisfied with this treatment.

Conclusion

Neglected fracture-dislocation thoracic spine without neurological deficit is rarely seen. It is a complex deformity injury. In this case, we performed multilevel Ponte osteotomy, instead of osteosynthesis, to restore the complex deformity that was affecting global balance. Successful outcomes are the result of good surgical preoperative planning and the surgical tactics of spinal osteotomy.