Lumbar Disc Degeneration in Female Patients with and without Ovariectomy: A Case-control Study.

Abstract Objective To provide clinical evidence on the potential influence of ovariectomy (OVX) on intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Methods We retrospectively reviewed the patients with a history of OVX who visited our hospital for lower back pain. In addition, 60 age-matched patients without OVX were randomly selected as the control subjects. Next, the following demographic data were recorded and compared between groups: age, body mass index, duration of OVX, history of smoking, alcohol use, hypertension, diabetes, cardio-cerebrovascular disease, hyperlipemia, osteoporosis, and degenerative spondylolisthesis. Then, the severity of lumbar disc degeneration (LDD), evaluated by modified Pfirrmann grading system, was compared between groups. Data analyses were performed with SPSS 20.0. software. Results A total of 15 OVX (unilateral, n = 10; bilateral, n = 5) patients were included with a mean age of 62.40 ± 10.64. The average durations of OVX were 21.33 ± 9.24 years. There existed no remarkable intergroup differences in the demographic data (P > 0.05). Overall, the average Pfirrmann grading scores from L1/2 to L5/S1 presented as L1/2 0.05). Nevertheless, OVX groups displayed a relatively higher score at each level than non-OVX group. Moreover, the scores from L3/4 to L5/S1 were higher in bilateral OVX group relative to unilateral OVX group while they were equal at L1/2 and L2/3. Conclusion The above findings demonstrated that OVX contributed to the progression of LDD to some extent, but it appeared to be a long-term event.