Spatial patterns of fat within the deep multifidus as a biomarker for chronic low back pain

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) patients often have elevated fat infiltration (FI) in the multifidus (MF), but it is unclear how this relates to pain and degenerative spine features. Most prior work assess MF degeneration as the average whole-muscle fat content even though deep and superficial fascicles of the MF have different structural and functional characteristics. Assessing the spatial distribution of MF FI may provide regional context for causal mechanisms which may have distinct regional presentations within the muscle.

This study assesses spatial patterns of MF FI at each lumbar level to identify regional differences associated with cLBP symptoms and degenerative spine features.

This is an observational cross-sectional study.

Our study sample consisted of 230 cLBP patients from the BACPAC comeback cohort who reported low back pain that has persisted for the past 3 months.

Measures included MF fat-maps-a FI curve showing the spatial distribution of fat moving radially through the MF-created at each lumbar level (L1L2-L5S1). Other measures included average fat fraction in the deepest 15% of the MF (deep15 FI%), average whole-muscle fat fraction (overall FI%) and the Pain, Enjoyment of Life, and General Activity (PEG) survey score.

We collected 3T MRI and used advanced sequences (IDEAL) to map the spatial distribution of MF FI at each lumbar level. We used statistical parametric mapping to identify spatial patterns of fat in the MF associated with age, sex, and BMI. Then, we tested for differences in spatial patterns of MF FI associated with pain and adjacent disc degeneration. Next, we calculated the fat fraction in a region of interest in the deepest 15% of the MF (deep15 FI%) and used linear mixed effects modeling to compare how age, sex, BMI, pain, and degenerative spine features associate with the deep15 FI% and the overall FI% separately. Lastly, we used linear regression models of PEG to compare FI measures as predictors for pain.

Elevated FI associated with PEG and adjacent disc degeneration only within the deepest 10% (p<.05) and deepest 25% (p<.01) of the MF respectively at the lower lumbar levels. Associations between demographic factors and FI were not specific to the deep MF. Older age and female sex associated with elevated FI throughout the muscle (p<.001) while higher BMI associated with elevated FI in only the superficial 60% of the MF (p<.001). Lastly, higher mean deep15 FI% but not mean overall FI% at the lower lumbar levels associated with higher PEG (p=.023).

FI in deep regions of the MF at L4L5 and L5S1 is more strongly associated with pain and adjacent disc degeneration and less associated with age, sex, and BMI than overall FI%. We identify regional differences in MF FI related to pain which improves our understanding of cLBP-related MF degeneration and provides additional context for possible causal mechanisms of FI. Further, the "deep15" FI% is a novel MF FI measure, and possible biomarker, more strongly associated with cLBP than summary measures.