Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36994463›Full record

ArticleJOR spine2023

Modic type 2 changes are fibroinflammatory changes with complement system involvement adjacent to degenerated vertebral endplates.

Irina Heggli, Christoph J Laux, Tamara Mengis, Agnieszka Karol, Frédéric Cornaz, Nick Herger, Borbala Aradi-Vegh, Jonas Widmer, Marco D Burkhard, Nadja A Farshad-Amacker and 6 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JOR spine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 12% 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

17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. IntradiscalJOR spine · 2026
    Article
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  4. Flow Cytometry Study of Immune Cell Subpopulations from the Mouse Vertebral Bone Marrow and Intervertebral Disc Following Endplate Microfracture.Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al · 2026
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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

16 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Irina HeggliCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3064-8364
Christoph J LauxDepartment of Orthopedics, Balgrist University Hospital University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5446-3057
Tamara MengisCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.
Agnieszka KarolDepartment of Molecular Mechanisms of Disease University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.
Frédéric CornazDepartment of Orthopedics, Balgrist University Hospital University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7911-0445
Nick HergerCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5369-9781
Borbala Aradi-VeghCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.
Jonas WidmerDepartment of Orthopedics, Balgrist University Hospital University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.
Marco D BurkhardDepartment of Orthopedics, Balgrist University Hospital University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.
Nadja A Farshad-AmackerDepartment of Radiology Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2258-8899
Sibylle PfammatterFunctional Genomics Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich Zurich Switzerland.
Witold E WolskiFunctional Genomics Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich Zurich Switzerland.
Florian BrunnerDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rheumatology Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.
Oliver DistlerCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0546-8310
Mazda FarshadDepartment of Orthopedics, Balgrist University Hospital University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7190-1127
Stefan DudliCenter of Experimental Rheumatology, Balgrist Campus, University Hospital Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7351-713X
University of Zurich · CHSIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Vertebral endplate signal intensity changes visualized by magnetic resonance imaging termed Modic changes (MC) are highly prevalent in low back pain patients. Interconvertibility between the three MC subtypes (MC1, MC2, MC3) suggests different pathological stages. Histologically, granulation tissue, fibrosis, and bone marrow edema are signs of inflammation in MC1 and MC2. However, different inflammatory infiltrates and amount of fatty marrow suggest distinct inflammatory processes in MC2. Aims: The aims of this study were to investigate (i) the degree of bony (BEP) and cartilage endplate (CEP) degeneration in MC2, (ii) to identify inflammatory MC2 pathomechanisms, and (iii) to show that these marrow changes correlate with severity of endplate degeneration. Methods: Pairs of axial biopsies ( Results: Endplates from MC2 were significantly more degenerated. Proteomic analysis revealed an activated complement system, increased expression of extracellular matrix proteins, angiogenic, and neurogenic factors in MC2 marrow. Endplate scores correlated with upregulated complement and neurogenic proteins. Discussion: The inflammatory pathomechanisms in MC2 comprises activation of the complement system. Concurrent inflammation, fibrosis, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis indicate that MC2 is a chronic inflammation. Correlation of endplate damage with complement and neurogenic proteins suggest that complement system activation and neoinnervation may be linked to endplate damage. The endplate-near marrow is the pathomechanistic site, because MC2 occur at locations with more endplate degeneration. Conclusion: MC2 are fibroinflammatory changes with complement system involvement which occur adjacent to damaged endplates.

Indexed as

degenerationextracellular matriximmune responseinflammation

Identifiers

PMID36994463
PMCPMC10041382
OpenAlexW4312118147

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.