Association Between Hypercholesterolemia and Neck Pain in a Cross-sectional Population-based Study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Degenerative changes in the cervical spine are a primary cause of chronic neck pain.
• The vascular hypothesis suggests atherosclerosis contributes to disk ischemia and degeneration.
• Prior research links atherosclerotic risk factors to lumbar degenerative disease, with potential implications for cervical disks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between hypercholesterolemia and the prevalence of neck pain.
• To determine if hypercholesterolemia is an independent risk factor for neck pain.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the 2018 Medicare Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).
• Analysis included 30,461 participants, focusing on those reporting neck pain.
• Logistic regression analyses adjusted for demographic, educational, and mental health factors.

Main Results:

• Neck pain was reported by 3.4% of participants (n=1049).
• Overall neck pain prevalence was 21.1%, with higher rates in white individuals, lower income, and smokers.
• Hypercholesterolemia was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of neck pain (adjusted odds ratio=1.54, P=0.018).

Conclusions:

• Hypercholesterolemia is linked to a 54% increased likelihood of neck pain, independent of other factors.
• This finding supports a role for hypercholesterolemia in cervical spine degeneration.
• Effective management of high cholesterol may reduce the incidence and progression of degenerative cervical disk disease and neck pain.