ArticleAging clinical and experimental research2023
A comparison of radiographic degeneration features of older Chinese women and older Italian Caucasian women with a focus on thoracic spine.
Article in Aging clinical and experimental research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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9 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Development and multi-center validation of a software program, Ofeye 3.0, for automated all-inclusive vertebral fracture detection with chest/abdominal CT images.Journal of orthopaedic translation · 2025Article
- Quantitative CT lumbar spine BMD cutpoint value for classifying osteoporosis among older Chinese men can be the same as that of older Chinese women, both much lower than the value for Caucasians.Skeletal radiology · 2025Review
- Lower osteoporotic-like vertebral fractural deformity (OLVF) prevalence and severity among older Thais and Indonesians than among older Chinese.Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2025Article
- Radiological diagnosis of prevalent osteoporotic vertebral fracture on radiographs: an interim consensus from a group of experts of the ESSR osteoporosis and metabolism subcommittee.Skeletal radiology · 2024Review
- Fewer spine degenerations among Southeast Asians than among Southern Chinese suggests populations from a warmer climate have inherently better spine health.Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2024Article
- Quantitative CT lumbar spine BMD cutpoint value for classifying osteoporosis among older East Asian women should be lower than the value for Caucasians.Skeletal radiology · 2024Article
- Cartilaginous endplate coverage of developmental Schmorl's node and the relevance of this in Schmorl's node etiology-based classification.Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2024Article
- More evidence to support a lower quantitative computed tomography (QCT) lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) cutpoint value for classifying osteoporosis among older East Asian women than for Caucasians.Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2024Article
- Endplatitis short vertebrae.Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCompared with Caucasians, East Asians have a lower incident of back pain, lower prevalence and severity of osteoporotic vertebral fracture and lumbar spine degeneration.
aimThis study compares radiographic spine degeneration features of older Chinese women (as an example of East Asians) and older Italian women (as an example of Caucasians) with a focus on the thoracic spine.
methodsFrom two population-based epidemiological studies conducted in Hong Kong, China and Rome, Italy, 297 pairs (mean age: 73.6 years) age-matched older community women's lateral spine radiographs were sampled. Existence (or absence) of seven degeneration features were assessed including: (1) hyper-kyphosis, (2) disc space narrowing (T3/T4 ~ T11/T12), (3) osteoarthritic (OA) wedging (T4 ~ T12), (4) generalised osteophyte formation (T4 ~ T12); (5) acquired short vertebrae (T4 ~ T12), (6) Schmorl node (T4 - L5), (7) disc calcification (T4-L5).
resultsItalian women were more likely to have hyper-kyphosis (53.4% vs 25.6%), disc space narrowing (34.4% vs. 17.2%), OA wedging (6.4% vs. 0.67%), Schmorl node (19.5% vs. 4.4%, all P < 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in osteophyte formation (7.7% vs. 9.4%, P > 0.1) and acquired short vertebrae (8.0% vs. 10.4%, P > 0.1). Disc calcification was uncommon among both Chinese and Italians. DISCUSSION AND
conclusionFor the first time, this study documented a lower prevalence of a number of thoracic spine degeneration features among Chinese. This study further affirms the concept of a generally healthier spine in older Chinese relative to older Caucasians. The observed differences may reflect a foundational background influence of genetic predisposition that represents an important line of future research.
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