Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31488112›Full record

ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2019

Correlation between multifidus fatty atrophy and lumbar disc degeneration in low back pain.

Cosmin Faur, Jenel M Patrascu, Horia Haragus, Bogdan Anglitoiu

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 89 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
89citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
10.8field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

89 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 144 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. The association between changes in multifidus muscle morphology and back pain scores following discectomy surgery for lumbar disc herniation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.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 · 2022
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  16. Morphological characteristics of the thoracolumbar fascia: relationship to chronic low back pain and back extension strength.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 · 2025
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29 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Cosmin FaurDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, No 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300723, Timisoara, Romania.
Jenel M PatrascuDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, No 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300723, Timisoara, Romania.
Horia HaragusDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, No 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300723, Timisoara, Romania. horia.haragus@yahoo.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6801-3471
Bogdan AnglitoiuDepartment of Orthopedics and Trauma, 'Victor Babes' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, No 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300723, Timisoara, Romania.
Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara · RO

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic low back pain (LBP) is common and associated with lumbar disc herniation. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the grade of lumbar disc degeneration correlates with the degree of lumbar multifidus muscle (LMM) fatty atrophy.

methodsA retrospective analysis on 16 males and 19 females with chronic LBP and a mean age of 47.2 years. Using MRI, the grade of lumbar intervertebral discs degeneration was assessed according to the Pfirrmann classification at L4/L5 and L5/S1 levels. Fatty infiltration of the LMM was graded as normal, mild, moderate and severe. Adobe Photoshop CS6 was used for qualitative image analysis by measuring the Cross-sectional area (CSA) of the pure fat component of LMM.

resultsThere was a low correlation (R = 0.37) and significant association (ANOVA, p = 0.001, 95% CI 2.07-8.14) between the grade of lumbar disc degeneration and the degree of LMM fatty atrophy. Mean value of intervertebral disc degeneration was 2.9 for the L4/L5 level and 3.2 for L5/S1 respectively. The percentage of fat infiltration of the LMM at both studied levels showed a mean value of 22.91+/- 13.19% for L4/L5 and a higher mean value of 26.37+/- 12.89% for L5/S1. There were higher fatty atrophy scores in women and more disc degeneration in men.

conclusionThe percentage of LMM atrophy is higher in the lower levels (L5/S1) and shows a low correlation with the grade of disc degeneration.

Indexed as

AdultChronic PainFemaleHumansIntervertebral DiscIntervertebral Disc DegenerationLow Back PainLumbar VertebraeMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedMuscular AtrophyParaspinal MusclesRetrospective StudiesSeverity of Illness Index“Intervertebral Disc Degeneration” [mesh]Low Back pain”[mesh]“Magnetic resonance imaging”[mesh]“Muscular atrophy”[mesh]“Paraspinal muscles”[mesh]

Identifiers

PMID31488112
PMCPMC6729014
OpenAlexW2971984953

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.