ArticleSpine deformity2026
Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis is associated with disc degeneration in pediatric patients.
Article in Spine deformity, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionThe impact of spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis on intervertebral disc health in pediatric patients remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to characterize intervertebral disc degeneration in pediatric patients with spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis.
methodsThis was a single-center retrospective cohort study. Patients were included if they were 1) under 18 years of age, 2) diagnosed with lumbar spondylolysis or isthmic spondylolisthesis based on computed tomography imaging, and 3) had magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine with T2 sequence. Disc degeneration was graded using the Pfirrmann grading system at the level of the spondylolysis/listhesis. Disc degeneration at L4/5 and L5/S1 was graded in a control patient population of pediatric patients that received an abdominal MRI with a T2 sequence. Disc degeneration was reported as proportions within 4 groups: 1) patients with spondylolysis, 2) patients with grade 1 spondylolisthesis, 3) patients with grade 2-4 spondylolisthesis, and 4) the control group. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used for analysis.
resultsA total of 87 patients were included in this study. There were 67 patients with spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis with a mean age of 14.9 ± 1.9 years and 49.3% (n = 33) were female. 62.7% (n = 42) had isolated spondylolysis, 20.9% (n = 14) had grade 1 spondylolisthesis, and 16.5% (n = 11) had grade 2-4 spondylolisthesis. There were 20 control patients with a mean age of 14.7 ± 2.1 years and 50.0% (n = 10) were female. In the control population, at 40 intervertebral discs, there was no disc degeneration in 92.5% (n = 37/40) and disc degeneration in 7.5% (n = 3/40). Compared to the control group, patients with spondylolysis (p = 0.04), grade 1 spondylolisthesis (p < 0.001), and grade 2-4 spondylolisthesis (p < 0.001) had higher rates of disc degeneration. The rates of disc degeneration at the level of the pathology for patients with spondylolysis, grade 1 spondylolisthesis, and grade 2-4 spondylolisthesis were 23.8%, 64.3%, and 100.0%, respectively. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, presence of spondylolysis (OR 4.06, p = 0.04) and spondylolisthesis (OR 49.2, p < 0.001) were associated with higher odds of disc degeneration. Age was not associated with odds of disc degeneration (p = 0.652).
conclusionIntervertebral disc degeneration is common at the level of pathology in pediatric patients with lumbar spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis, with increasing severity of disc degeneration associated with increasing spondylolisthesis.
Indexed as
Identifiers
41811584What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.