Abstract
Objective
Intervetebral disc height changes with both age and increasing body mass index (BMI), known risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We studied the relationship of body mass index (BMI) and aging in the neck structures to disc compression and oropharyngeal airway size and shape.
Materials and methods
The intervertebral disc (IVD), neck and airway volumes were measured at the C2 level only from Computerized Tomography scans using a semi-automatic segmentation tool. The change of intervertebral disc height/volume with age and BMI were examined in 38 consecutive Japanese patients (Male: 19, Female: 19), group matched for age (men: 52.2 ± 15.36 years; women: 52.4 ± 17.37) and BMI (men: 23.1 ± 2.97 m/kg2; women: 21.6 ± 4.03 m/kg2).
Results
In this study, the intervertebral disc volume as a percent of neck volume was larger in men than in women (P = 0.039), and the intervertebral disc volume (r = −0.588; P = 0.013) and height (r = −0.510; P = 0.037) decreased with increasing age-adjusted BMI in males only. Age was not significantly correlated with any of the volumes. The intervertebral airway volume significantly decreased with increasing age-adjusted BMI in our female subjects (r = −0.588; P = 0.013).
Conclusion
In our Japanese volunteer population, the intervertebral disc is compressed vertically with the increase of BMI in males only, and the oropharyngeal airway volume decreases with increasing BMI in females only. These results may be useful in assessment of OSA risk.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Heliovaara M (1987) Body height, obesity, and risk of herniated lumber intervertebral disc. Spine 12:469–472
Yasukawa Y (1994) Age changes in the lumber supine: radiological follow-up studies over more than ten years. Nippon Seikeigeka Gakkai Zasshi 68: 854–863
Sorkin JD, Muller DC, Andres R (1999) Longitudinal change in the heights of men and women: consequential effects on body mass index. Epidemiol Rev 21: 247–260
Sohn HM, You JW, Lee JY (2004) The relationship between disc degeneration and morphologic changes in the intervertebral foramen of the cervical spine: a cadaveric MRI and CT study. J Korean Med Sci 19: 101–106
Frymoyer JW, Gordon SL (1989) New perspectives on low back pain. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Park Ridge, pp 191–193
Liuke M, Solovieva S, Lamminen A, Luoma K, Leino-Arjas P, Luukkonen R, Riihimaki H (2005) Disk degeneration of the lumber spine in relation to overweight. Int J Obes 29: 903–908
Kolstad F, Myhr G, Kvistad KA, Nygaard OP, Leivseth G (2005) Degeneration and height of cervical discs classified from MRI compared with precise height measurements from radiographs. Eur J Radiol 55: 415–420
Rodacki AL, Fowler NE, Provensi CL, Rodacki Cde L, Dezan VH (2005) Body mass as a factor in stature change. Clin Biomech 20: 799–805
Solovieva S, Lohiniva J, Leino-Arjas P, Raininko R, Luoma K, Ala-Kokko L, Riihimaki H (2002) COL9A3 gene polymorphism and obesity in intervertebral disc degeneration of the lumbar spine: evidence of gene-environment interaction. Spine 27: 2691–2696
Nissi MJ, Toyras J, Laasanen MS, Rieppo J, Saarakkala S, Lappalainen R, Jurvelin JS, Nieminen MT (2004) Proteoglycan and collagen sensitive MRI evaluation of normal and degenerated articular cartilage. J Orthop Res 22: 557–564
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shigeta, Y., Ogawa, T., Venturin, J. et al. The influence of age and BMI on intervertebral disc height and oropharyngeal airway in Japanese men and women. Int J CARS 3, 97–103 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-008-0204-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-008-0204-y