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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Characteristics and determinants of clinical symptoms in radiographic lumbar spinal stenosis in a tertiary health care centre in sub-Saharan Africa

Authors: Marie Doualla-Bija, Mbeng Ashu Takang, Emmanuella Mankaa, Jude Moutchia, Pierre Ongolo-Zogo, Henry Luma-Namme

Published in: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) refers to narrowing of the lumbar central spinal canal, lateral recess, and/or neuro-foramina. Radiographic LSS plays an important role in clinical LSS but is not solely accountable for the presence of symptoms. We sought to characterise clinical LSS and to determine factors associated with presence of symptoms of LSS in patients with radiographic LSS in a sub Saharan Africa setting.

Methods

After prior ethical clearance, a case control study was done in a tertiary hospital in Douala-Cameroon, including 105 patients with radiographic LSS: 57 with symptoms of LSS (cases) and 58 with no symptoms (controls). Spinal stenosis was assessed using computed tomography (CT) scans. Data were analysed using SPSS version 23.

Results

The mean age of our study participants was 53.4 ± 13.1 years. The mean age of onset of symptoms of LSS was 50.3 ± 11.6 years and the most common symptoms were Low back pain (100.0%), radicular symptoms (98.2%) and neurogenic claudication (98.2%). Obesity (p < 0.001) and a high waist circumference (p = 0.002) were significantly associated with presence of LSS symptoms in persons with radiographic LSS. After adjusting for body mass index, a positive family history of low back pain (p = 0.004), vertebra lesion at L2 (p = 0.034), L3 (p = 0.002), L4 (p = 0.025) and multiple (p = 0.008) levels, degenerative disc protrusion (p = 0.044), disc lesion at L3-L4 (p = 0.001), L4-L5 (p = 0.011) and multiple (p = 0.046) levels were significantly associated with presence of symptoms of LSS in persons with radiographic LSS.

Conclusion

Characteristics of clinical LSS have been described in this sub-Saharan Africa population. Obesity, a high waist circumference and a positive family history of low back pain are significantly associated with presence of symptoms of LSS in persons with radiographic LSS.
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Metadata
Title
Characteristics and determinants of clinical symptoms in radiographic lumbar spinal stenosis in a tertiary health care centre in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors
Marie Doualla-Bija
Mbeng Ashu Takang
Emmanuella Mankaa
Jude Moutchia
Pierre Ongolo-Zogo
Henry Luma-Namme
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2474
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-017-1844-2

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