Miller J A, Schmatz C, Schultz A B
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1988 Feb;13(2):173-8.
Using data from 16 published reports, the authors correlated macroscopic disc degeneration grades with age, sex, and spine level in 600 lumbar intervertebral discs from 273 cadavers (ages: 0-96 years). Male discs were more degenerated than female discs at most ages; significantly so in the second, fifth, sixth, and seventh decades. On average, L4-L5 and L3-L4 level discs showed more degeneration than discs at other lumbar levels. These macroscopic findings corroborate radiographic data from epidemiologic studies. The calculations suggest that higher mechanical stress, perhaps combined with longer nutritional pathways, may be responsible for the earlier degeneration of male discs.
作者利用16篇已发表报告中的数据，将273具尸体（年龄0至96岁）的600个腰椎间盘的宏观椎间盘退变程度与年龄、性别和脊柱节段进行了关联分析。在大多数年龄段，男性椎间盘比女性椎间盘退变更严重；在第二、第五、第六和第七个十年中差异显著。平均而言，L4-L5和L3-L4节段的椎间盘比其他腰椎节段的椎间盘退变更明显。这些宏观研究结果证实了流行病学研究中的影像学数据。计算结果表明，更高的机械应力，可能再加上更长的营养输送路径，可能是男性椎间盘较早退变的原因。
