Observational studyBMJ open2019
Is age more than manual material handling associated with lumbar vertebral body and disc changes? A cross-sectional multicentre MRI study.
Observational study in BMJ open, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Epidemiology and treatment trends in cervical, thoracic and lumbar disc herniation- a nationwide analysis.Brain & spine · 2026Article
- Distribution Patterns of Degeneration of the Lumbar Spine in a Cohort of 200 Patients with an Indication for Lumbar MRI.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveConflicting evidence exists to what extent manual material handling (MMH) causes lumbar disc disease, lack of evidence exist that this effect takes place especially at L5-S1 level, where the greatest moment occurs. The aim was to assess if lumbar vertebral body and disc changes are more common in people whose job involves significant MMH and, if so, to evaluate if lumbar vertebral body and disc changes are more prevalent in the lower part of the lumbar spine (L4-L5 and L5-S1).
designObservational, cross-sectional, with quasi-random recruitment.
settingOutpatient radiology units of three large hospitals in northern (Bologna and Brescia) and southern (Bari) Italy.
participants183 consecutive adult subjects (89 males, 94 females) aged 20-70 years referred by the general practitioner or a specialist for MRI of the lumbar spine. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Neuroradiologists (blind to clinical assessment) evaluated the prevalence of intervertebral disc and vertebral body changes in standardised MRI examinations. History of personal and family musculoskeletal diseases and injuries, current and previous MMH at work and during leisure time were assessed by interview and self-administered questionnaire.
resultsParticipants were classified according their occupational exposure to MMH. No association was found between MMH and vertebral body and intervertebral disc changes, whereas age over 45 years was consistently associated with more disc extension beyond the interspace changes, Pfirrmann changes, osteophytes and Modic changes: the association was statistically significant at the conventional 5% level.
conclusionsAge, and not MMH, seems to primarily affect the presence of intervertebral disc changes; prospective studies are needed to better explore the relationship between MMH and the possible presence (and level) of lumbar vertebral body and/or disc changes.
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