Correlation of Whole Body Fat and Visceral Fat on the Patients Suffering Lower Back Pain with Lumbar Disc Degenerative Diseases- A Pilot Study

Abstract

Introduction: Lower-back pain (LBP) with lumbar disc degenerative diseases is the major health issue and the best modality in the detection of degenerative disc disease (DDD)is the magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

 Objectives: This study was focused on the correlation of body composition on degenerative changes in the lumbar intervertebral disc.

Methods: Low back pain subjects of age 20 -70 years, undergone lumbosacral MRI (1.5T), diagnosed as disc bulging were included. The 40 subjects [19 males (47.5%) and 21 females (52.5%)] were included and body composition of the patients was analyzed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. The relation between whole bodyfat, visceral fat, BMI with age and sex of the subjects were statistically analyzed.

Results and discussions: Statistical analysis showed a positive correlation between whole body fat with age, sex ,BMI (<0.05) but the whole body fat and visceral fat showed an inverse correlation in these subjects.

Conclusions: The whole body (subcutaneous) fat may have influence in lumbar disc degeneration with back pain. So, body composition analysis should be included as a preliminary routine investigation for lower back pain subjects for their better treatment.