Top

Published in:

01-06-2012 | Original Article

Does hormone replacement therapy prevent lateral rotatory spondylolisthesis in postmenopausal women?

Authors: Catherine Marty-Poumarat, Agnès Ostertag, Claude Baudoin, Michèle Marpeau, Marie-Christine de Vernejoul, Martine Cohen-Solal

Published in: European Spine Journal | Issue 6/2012

Abstract

Purpose

Degenerative scoliosis usually begins at menopause and lateral rotatory olisthesis (LRO) might be a triggering factor in the onset of degenerative scoliosis in postmenopausal women. We set out to evaluate the influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on degenerative scoliosis and on LRO.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 146 postmenopausal women: 75 women had received HRT for more than 1 year (HRT > 1) and 71 women had never received HRT or less than 1 year (HRT < 1). Scoliotic curve, LRO, sacral slope, lordosis, kyphosis were measured. The excess risk of LRO associated with age, BMI, isometric strength of brachial biceps, bone mineral density, lean mass and HRT was evaluated using a multiple logistic regression model.

Results

No difference was found in sacral slope, lumbar lordosis or thoracic kyphosis between both groups or in the presence of scoliosis. The prevalence of LRO was significantly lower in HRT >1 than HRT <1 (8 vs. 30%) while the risk was dependent on age, HRT and their interaction. LRO increased with age only in HRT <1 (11% when aged ≤66 years vs. 39% when aged >66 years, p = 0.013), whereas the prevalence of LRO remained stable in HRT >1.

Conclusions

LRO was significantly lower in women who received HRT. The excess risk of LRO was dependent on both age and HRT status. These findings suggest that HRT might prevent the onset of LRO, and therefore might contribute to the prevention of low back pain.

Schwab F, Dubey A, Gamez L, el-Fegoun AB, Hwang K, Pagala M, Farcy JP (2005) Adult scoliosis: prevalence, SF-36 and nutritional parameters in an elderly volunteer population. Spine 30:1082–1085PubMedCrossRef

Daffner SD, Vaccaro AR (2003) Adult degenerative lumbar scoliosis. Am J Orthop 32:77–82PubMed

Schwab F, el-Fegoun AB, Gamez L, Goodman H, Farcy JP (2005) A lumbar classification of scoliosis in the adult patient: preliminary approach. Spine 30:1670–1673PubMedCrossRef

Marty-Poumarat C, Scattin L, Marpeau M, Garreau de Loubresse C, Aegerter P (2007) Natural history of progressive adult scoliosis. Spine 32:1227–1234PubMedCrossRef

Battié MC, Videman T, Levälahti E, Gill K, Kaprio J (2008) Genetic and environmental effects on disc degeneration by phenotype and spinal level: a multivariate twin study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 33:2801–2808CrossRef

Korovessis P, Piperos G, Sidiropoulos P, Dimas A (1994) Adult idiopathic lumbar scoliosis. A formula for prediction of progression and review of the literature. Spine 190:1926–1932CrossRef

Piat C, Laredo JD, Tassin JL (1995) Degenerative vertebral dislocation. Ann Radiol 38:214–220PubMed

Murata Y, Takahashi K, Hanaoka E, Utsumi T, Yamagata M, Moriya H (2002) Changes in scoliotic curvature and lordotic angle during the early phase of degenerative lumbar scoliosis. Spine 27:2268–2273PubMedCrossRef

Jackson RP, Simmons EH, Stripinis D (1989) Coronal and sagittal plane spinal deformities correlating with back pain and pulmonary function in adult idiopathic scoliosis. Spine 14:1391–1397PubMedCrossRef

10.

Leboeuf D, Letellier K, Alos N, Edery P, Moldovan F (2009) Do estrogens impact adolescent idiopathic scoliosis? Trends Endocrinol Metab 20:147–152PubMedCrossRef

11.

Inoue M, Minami S, Nakata Y et al (2002) Association between estrogen receptor gene polymorphisms and curve severity of idiopathic scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 27:2357–2362CrossRef

12.

Moe KE, Prinz LH, Larsen LH, Vitellio MV, Reed SO, Merriam GRT (1998) Growth hormone in postmenopausal women after long term oral estrogen replacement therapy. J Gerontol Biol Sci 53:117–124CrossRef

13.

Ploumis A, Liu H, Mehbod AA, Transfeldt EE, Winter RB (2009) A correlation of radiographic and functional measurements in adult degenerative scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 34:1581–1584CrossRef

14.

Esposito T, Uccello R, Caliendo R et al (2009) Estrogen receptor polymorphism, estrogen content and idiopathic scoliosis in human: a possible genetic linkage. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 116:56–60PubMedCrossRef

15.

Pritchett JW, Bortel DT (1993) Degenerative symptomatic lumbar scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 18:700–703CrossRef

16.

Pappou IP, Girardi FP, Sandhu HS et al (2006) Discordantly high spinal bone mineral density values in patients with adult lumbar scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 31:1614–1620CrossRef

17.

Routh RH, Lee KM, Burshell AL, Nauman EA (2009) The effects of anti-resorptive therapies and estrogen withdrawal in adult scoliosis measured by sub-segmental vertebral BMD analysis. Bone 45:193–199PubMedCrossRef

18.

McCullagh P, Nelder JA (1989) Generalized linear models, 2nd edn. Chapman and Hall, London

19.

Kostuik JP, Bentivoglio P (1981) The incidence of low back pain in adult scoliosis. Acta Orthop Belg 47:548–559PubMed

20.

Velis KP, Thorne RP (1979) Lateral spondylolisthesis in idiopathic scoliosis. Orthop Trans 3:282

21.

Aladin DM, Cheung KM, Chan D, Yee AF, Jim JJ, Luk KD, Lu WW (2007) Expression of the Trp2 allele of COL9A2 is associated with alterations in the mechanical properties of human intervertebral discs. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 32:2820–2826CrossRef

22.

Keller TS, Colloca CJ, Harrison DE, Moore RJ, Gunzburg R (2007) Muscular contributions to dynamic dorsoventral lumbar spine stiffness. Eur Spine J 16:245–254PubMedCrossRef

23.

Ferguson SJ, Steffen T (2003) Biomechanics of the aging spine. Eur Spine J Suppl 2:S97–S103CrossRef

24.

Phillips SK, Rook KM, Bruce NC, Woledge RC (1993) Muscle weakness in women occurs at an earlier age than in men, but strength is preserved by hormone replacement therapy. Clin Sci 84:95–98PubMed

25.

Phillips SK, Sanderson AG, Birch K, Bruce SK, Woledge RC (1996) Changes in maximal voluntary force of human adductor pollicis muscle during the menstrual cycle. J Physiol 496:551–557PubMed

26.

Heikkinen J, Kyllönen E, Kurttila-Matero E, Wilén-Rosenqvist G, Lankinen KS, Rita H, Väänänen HK (1997) HRT and exercise: effects on bone density, muscle strength and lipid metabolism. A placebo controlled 2-year prospective trial on two estrogen–progestin regimens in healthy postmenopausal women. Maturitas 26:139–149PubMedCrossRef

27.

Skelton DA, Phillips SK, Bruce SA, Naylor CH, Woledge RC (1999) Hormone replacement therapy increases isometric muscle strength of adductor pollicis in post-menopausal women. Clin Sci (Lond) 96:357–364CrossRef

28.

Onambele NG, Skelton DA, Bruce SA, Woledge RC (2001) Follow-up study of the benefits of hormone replacement therapy on isometric muscle strength of adductor pollicis in postmenopausal women. Clin Sci (Lond) 100:421–422CrossRef

29.

Greeves JP, Cable NT, Reilly T, Kingsland C (1999) Changes in muscle strength in women following the menopause: a longitudinal assessment of the efficacy of hormone replacement therapy. Clin Sci 97:79–84PubMedCrossRef

30.

Lemoine S, Granier P, Tiffoche C, Rannou-bekono F, Thieulant ML, Delamarche P (2003) Estrogen receptor alpha mRNA in human skeletal muscles. Med Sci Sports Exerc 35:439–443PubMedCrossRef

31.

Carville SF, Rutherford OM, Newham DJ (2006) Power output, isometric strength and steadiness in the leg muscles of pre-and postmenopausal women: the effects of hormone replacement therapy. Eur J Appl Physiol 96:292–298PubMedCrossRef

32.

Taaffe DR, Sipila S, Cheng S, Puolakka J, Toivanen J, Suominen H (2005) The effect of hormone replacement therapy and/or exercise on skeletal muscle attenuation in postmenopausal women: a yearlong intervention. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging 25:297–304PubMedCrossRef

Title: Does hormone replacement therapy prevent lateral rotatory spondylolisthesis in postmenopausal women?
Authors: Catherine Marty-Poumarat
Agnès Ostertag
Claude Baudoin
Michèle Marpeau
Marie-Christine de Vernejoul
Martine Cohen-Solal
Publication date: 01-06-2012
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Spine Journal / Issue 6/2012
Print ISSN: 0940-6719
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0932
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-011-2048-3

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Does hormone replacement therapy prevent lateral rotatory spondylolisthesis in postmenopausal women?

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 6/2012

Biomechanical comparison of alternative densities of pedicle screws for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

A comparative study of axis-line-distance technique and Cobb method on assessing the curative effect on scoliosis

Development of percutaneously insertable/removable interspinous process spacer for treatment of posture-dependent lumbar spinal-canal stenosis: preclinical feasibility study using porcine model

Lowest instrumented vertebra selection in Lenke 3C and 6C scoliosis: what if we choose lumbar apical vertebra as distal fusion end?

The validity of ankle-brachial index for the differential diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease and lumbar spinal stenosis in patients with atypical claudication

Announcements for issue 21-6-2012