Association of dyslipidemia with intervertebral disc degeneration: a case-control study

To investigate the relationship between dyslipidemia and intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD).

A total of 269 patients with lumbar disc herniation (Grade III-VIII using the modified Pfirrmann Grading Systems and Total End Plate Damage Score (TEPS) III-VI grade) and 269 patients with lumbar vertebral fracture (LVF, Grade I-II using the modified Pfirrmann Grading Systems and TEPS I-II grade) were enrolled in this study. The total cholesterol level (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level (LDL-C), triglyceride level (TG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level (HDL-C), nonHDL-C, ApoB level, ApoB A1 level and arteriosclerosis index (AI) were measured. The 269 patients with single-level LDH who underwent surgery were assigned to the disc herniation group (DH) and 269 patients who underwent surgical treatment for lumbar vertebral fracture during the same period were enrolled as the control group. The participants in the control group were selected randomly and matched for sex.

The analysis revealed that the levels of TC, TG, LDL, nonHDL-C, APOB, and APOA1 in patients with LDH were significantly higher compared with those in the controls. The proportion of high-TC, borderline high-total cholesterol, high LDL-C, high-TG, borderline high LDL-C, high APO B, high arteriosclerosis index (AI), and high-ApoB/ApoA1 in the LDH group was significantly higher relative to that of the control group. The ratio of TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, nonHDL-C/HDL-C, and ApoB/ApoA1 in the LDH group was significantly higher compared with that of the control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the levels of serum TG, Apo B/ApoA1 ratio, atherogenic index(AI), labour intensity, and age were positively associated with the risk of LDH and were independent risk factors predicting IVDD development.

Overall, this study indicates that age, labour intensity, TG, ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and atherogenic index (AI) may increase the risk of IVDD. The levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, nonHDL-C, Apo B, and atherogenic index (AI) may be related to the degree of cartilage endplate (CEP) and intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Moreover, dyslipidemia may be a useful predictor of IVDD.