A Dallaway1, C Kite2, C Griffen3, M Duncan4, J Tallis4, D Renshaw5, J Hattersley3. 1. Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Science and Health Building, Whitefriars Street, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 2DS, United Kingdom; Human Metabolic Research Unit, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, Clifford Bridge Rd, Coventry CV2 2DX, United Kingdom. Electronic address: dallawaa@uni.coventry.ac.uk. 2. School of Life and Health Sciences, Cell and Tissue Biomedical Research Group, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, United Kingdom; Centre for Active Living, University Centre Shrewsbury, University of Chester, Guildhall, Frankwell Quay, Shrewsbury SY3 8HQ, United Kingdom. 3. Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Science and Health Building, Whitefriars Street, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 2DS, United Kingdom; Human Metabolic Research Unit, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, Clifford Bridge Rd, Coventry CV2 2DX, United Kingdom. 4. Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Science and Health Building, Whitefriars Street, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 2DS, United Kingdom; School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Science and Health Building, Whitefriars Street, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 2DS, United Kingdom. 5. Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Science and Health Building, Whitefriars Street, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 2DS, United Kingdom.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Morphological changes of the lumbar spine muscles are not well characterised with ageing. To further the understanding of age-related degeneration of the lumbar spine musculature, normative morphological changes that occur within the paravertebral muscles must first be established. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-regressions were conducted adhering to PRISMA guidelines. Searches for published and unpublished data were completed in June 2019. RESULTS: Searches returned 4781 articles. 34 articles were included in the quantitative analysis. Three-level meta-analyses showed age-related atrophy (r = -0.26; 95% CI: -0.33, -0.17) and fat infiltration (r = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.28, 0.50) in the lumbar paravertebral muscles. Degenerative changes were muscle-specific and men (r = -0.32; 95% CI: -0.61, 0.01) exhibited significantly greater muscle atrophy than women (r = -0.24; 95% CI: -0.47, 0.03). Imaging modality, specifically ultrasound, also influenced age-related muscle atrophy. Measurements taken across all lumbar levels revealed the greatest fat infiltration with ageing (r = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.74). Moderators explained a large proportion of between-study variance in true effects for muscle atrophy (72.6%) and fat infiltration (79.8%) models. CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar paravertebral muscles undergo age-related degeneration in healthy adults with muscle, lumbar level and sex-specific responses. Future studies should use high-resolution imaging modalities to quantify muscle atrophy and fat infiltration.
BACKGROUND: Morphological changes of the lumbar spine muscles are not well characterised with ageing. To further the understanding of age-related degeneration of the lumbar spine musculature, normative morphological changes that occur within the paravertebral muscles must first be established. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-regressions were conducted adhering to PRISMA guidelines. Searches for published and unpublished data were completed in June 2019. RESULTS: Searches returned 4781 articles. 34 articles were included in the quantitative analysis. Three-level meta-analyses showed age-related atrophy (r = -0.26; 95% CI: -0.33, -0.17) and fat infiltration (r = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.28, 0.50) in the lumbar paravertebral muscles. Degenerative changes were muscle-specific and men (r = -0.32; 95% CI: -0.61, 0.01) exhibited significantly greater muscle atrophy than women (r = -0.24; 95% CI: -0.47, 0.03). Imaging modality, specifically ultrasound, also influenced age-related muscle atrophy. Measurements taken across all lumbar levels revealed the greatest fat infiltration with ageing (r = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.74). Moderators explained a large proportion of between-study variance in true effects for muscle atrophy (72.6%) and fat infiltration (79.8%) models. CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar paravertebral muscles undergo age-related degeneration in healthy adults with muscle, lumbar level and sex-specific responses. Future studies should use high-resolution imaging modalities to quantify muscle atrophy and fat infiltration.
Authors: Maximilian Muellner; Erika Chiapparelli; Manuel Moser; Henryk Haffer; Yusuke Dodo; Dominik Adl Amini; John A Carrino; Ek T Tan; Jennifer Shue; Jiaqi Zhu; Andrew A Sama; Frank P Cammisa; Federico P Girardi; Alexander P Hughes Journal: Eur Spine J Date: 2022-08-19 Impact factor: 2.721