Korean J Pain.  2021 Oct;34(4):454-462. 10.3344/kjp.2021.34.4.454.

Factors associated with paravertebral muscle cross-sectional area in patients with chronic low back pain

• Cankurtaran D
• Yigman ZA
• Umay E

• KMID: 2520753
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2021.34.4.454

Abstract

Background
This study was performed to reveal the relationships between the cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the paraspinal muscles and the severity of low back pain (LBP), including the level of disability.
Methods
This single-center cross-sectional study was conducted on 164 patients with chronic LBP. The effects of demographic characteristics, posture, level of physical activity, disc herniation type, and sarcopenia risk on the CSAs of paraspinal muscles were evaluated along with the relationship between the CSAs and severity of pain and disability in all patients. The CSAs of paraspinal muscles were evaluated using the software program Image J 1.53.
Results
A negative significant correlation was found between age and the paraspinal muscle’s CSA (P < 0.05), whereas a positive correlation was present between the level of physical activity and the CSA of the paraspinal muscle at the L2-3 and L3-4 levels. The CSAs of paraspinal muscles in patients with sarcopenia risk was significantly lower than those in patients without sarcopenia risk (P < 0.05). The CSAs of paraspinal muscles at the L2-3 and L3-4 levels in obese patients were significantly higher than those in overweight patients (P = 0.028, P = 0.026, respectively). There was no relationship between the CSAs of paraspinal muscles and pain intensity or disability.
Conclusions
Although this study did not find a relationship between paraspinal CSAs and pain or disability, treatment regimens for preventing paraspinal muscles from atrophy may aid pain physicians in relieving pain, restoring function, and preventing recurrence in patients with chronic LBP.

Keyword

Exercise; Gender; Low Back Pain; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Muscular Atrophy; Obesity; Pain Management; Paraspinal Muscles; Sarcopenia; Vitamin D

Figure

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  Fig. 1 A measurement trace around the cross-sectional area of the paraspinal muscle at the L4-5 level of spine using Image J software program (produced by Wayne Rasband, United States National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD).

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