Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32318772›Full record

Observational studyNeuroradiology2020

The prevalence of redundant nerve roots in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis is body position dependent: a retrospective observational study with repeated measures design in an upright MRI scanner.

Luca Papavero, Stella Ebert, Carlos J Marques

Open access · hybridAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Neuroradiology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 34% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. [Lumbar spinal stenosis].Orthopadie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2022
    Article
  3. Article
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

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Luca PapaveroClinic for Spine Surgery, Schoen Clinic Hamburg Eilbek, Academic Hospital of the Medical Center Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3664-8736
Stella EbertPrivatpraxis Upright-MRT, Hamburg, Germany.
Carlos J MarquesScience Office of the Orthopedic and Joint Replacement Department, Schoen Clinic Hamburg Eilbek - Science Office, Dehnhaide 120, D-22081, Hamburg, Germany. cmarques@schoen-klinik.de.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3216-6382
Schön Klinik Hamburg Eilbek · DEUniversität Hamburg · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeRedundant nerve roots (RNRs) are a negative prognostic factor in patients with central lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Forty percent of candidates for surgical decompression show RNRs (RNR+) on preoperative conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We investigated the prevalence of RNRs in three functional postures (standing, neutral sitting and flexed sitting) with an upright MRI (upMRI).

methodsA retrospective observational study with a repeated measures design. Thirty surgical candidates underwent upMRI. Sagittal and axial T2-weighted images of the three functional postures were evaluated. The segmental length of the lumbar spine (sLLS), the lordotic angle (LA) and the dural cross-sectional area (DCSA) were measured in each body position. Generalized linear mixed models were carried out. The 0.05 level of probability was set as the criterion for statistical significance.

resultsThe prevalence of RNRs decreased from 80% during standing to 16.7% during flexed sitting (p < 0.001). The sLLS increased significantly from standing to neutral sitting in both RNR groups (p < 0.001). The increase from neutral sitting to flexed sitting was only significant (p < 0.001) for the group without RNRs (RNR-). The LA decreased significantly for both RNR groups from standing to flexed sitting (p < 0.001). The DSCA increased significantly in the RNR- group (p < 0.001) but not in the RNR+ group (p = 0.9).

conclusionThe prevalence of RNRs is body position dependent. Increases in DCSA play a determinant role in resolving RNRs.

Indexed as

Sitting PositionStanding PositionAgedDecompression, SurgicalFemaleHumansLumbar VertebraeMagnetic Resonance ImagingMalePrevalencePrognosisRetrospective StudiesSpinal Nerve RootsSpinal StenosisCentral lumbar spinal stenosisDural cross-sectional areaRedundant nerve rootsUpright MRI

Identifiers

PMID32318772
PMCPMC7366595
OpenAlexW3017115454

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.