ArticlePloS one2019
Is the discopathy associated with Modic changes an infectious process? Results from a prospective monocenter study.
Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evidence for infection in intervertebral disc degeneration: a systematic review.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2022Pooled it
- Recommendations of the International Consensus Meeting (ICM) 2025 on Spinal Infections: Part A Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis.Global spine journal · 2026Article
- Intradiscal linezolid (PP353) treatment for chronic low back pain associated with Modic change type 1: an international, first-in-human, randomised, sham procedure-controlled, double-blind, phase 1b clinical trial.EClinicalMedicine · 2026Article
- Intracellular Detection ofJOR spine · 2025Article
- Cutibacterium acnes in lumbar spine, from skin to deep tissue. A colonization study.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2025Article
- mNGS technique was used to analyze the microbiome structure of intervertebral disc tissue in 99 patients with degenerative disc disease.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2025Article
- A new target for treating intervertebral disk degeneration: gut microbes.Frontiers in microbiology · 2024Review
- Review
- The Role ofBiomedicines · 2020Article
- Modic changes - An evidence-based, narrative review on its patho-physiology, clinical significance and role in chronic low back pain.Journal of clinical orthopaedics and traumaArticle
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe local infectious origin and the putative role of Cutibacterium acnes (CA) of a particular subtype of discopathy (Modic 1) are still debated. PURPOSE: To establish the association of CA in intervertebral disc (IVD) and Modic 1 discopathy in patients with low back pain.
methodsThe prevalence of bacteria in IVD samples obtained by anterior approach in patient with chronic low back pain harboring Modic type 1, 2 or no Modic changes was compared to that measured in IVD samples obtained by posterior approach for sciatica. From 45 patients included in the study, 77 discs samples were obtained: 58 by anterior approach (32 Modic 1/2 changes, 26 without Modic change) and 19 by posterior approach. Conventional microbial cultures, universal 16S rRNA molecular detection and a CA specific PCR were performed.
results12 /77 (15.6%) disc samples were culture positive. Among the 10 CA positive cultures, 5 out of 58 (8.6%) were identified from specimens obtained by anterior approach and 5/19 (26.3%) from posterior approach (p = 0.046). Moreover, the percentage of CA culture positive sample was statistically no different between the patient with or without Modic changes. The CA prevalence was lower through molecular, culture-free approaches: the universal 16S rRNA PCR was positive for 6 specimens, including one CA positive sample and the CA specific PCR was positive for one specimen obtained by posterior approach.
conclusionsIn spine surgery the prevalence of CA in culture was significantly higher in IVD samples collected through a posterior approach compared to an anterior approach, suggesting a contamination process. This study did not support the CA related local infectious origin of Modic 1 discopathy.
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