Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae and low back pain
Dai, L.
Bulletin 58(4): 191-193
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0018-5647 PMID: 10711367 Document Number: 500695
The correlation between lumbosacral transitional vertebrae and low back pain was analyzed in a study of plain radiographs from normal subjects and patients with chronic low back pain. Of 184 normal subjects, only 29 (15.8%) had transitional vertebrae, while 97 (35.1%) of 276 patients were noted to have transitional vertebrae. The difference was highly significant (p < 0.01). The incidence of Castellvi type II transitional vertebrae was significantly higher in patients with low back pain than in controls (p < 0.01). This study indicates the etiologic significance of lumbosacral transitional vertebra in low back pain.