Retrospective study. To determine the presence and frequency of factors for degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) in patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA). OA of the hip joint (hip OA) in Japanese patients is associated with a high incidence of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DS). However the associated factors for DS in patients with hip OA are unclear. The study included 518 patients (59 men and 459 women) with a mean age of 63.8 years who underwent total hip arthroplasty for hip OA at our hospital between January 2004 and May 2014. The presence of DS was assessed using preoperative standing lateral radiographs of the hip joint including the lower lumbar spine. To identify the associated factors for DS in patients with hip OA, multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted in which the presence or absence of DS was used as a dependent variable, and age, female sex, body mass index (BMI), sacral slope (SS), Crowe classification, and primary OA (P-OA) not associated with acetabular dysplasia were independent variables. Patients with DS accounted for 114 (22.0%) of 518 cases. In multiple logistic regression analysis to identify associated factors for DS in patients with hip OA, the odds ratio for age was 1.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.08), female sex was 2.48 (95% CI, 1.11-5.54), BMI was 1.08 (95% CI, 1.02-1.14), SS was 1.07 (95% CI, 1.04-1.09), Crowe classification was 0.60 (95% CI, 0.40-0.91), and P-OA was 1.90 (95% CI, 1.20-3.75). Age, female sex, BMI, SS, low Crowe classification, and P-OA are independently associated factors for DS in patients with hip OA.

For older patients with decreased reserve function, traumatic cervical spine injuries frequently lead to early mortality. However, the prognostic factors for early mortality remain unclear. This study included patients aged ≥65 years and hospitalized for treatment of traumatic cervical spine injuries in 78 hospitals between 2010 and 2020. Early mortality was defined as death within 90 days after injury. We evaluated the relationship between early mortality and the following factors: age, sex, body mass index, history of drinking and smoking, injury mechanisms, presence of a cervical spine fracture and dislocation, cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale, concomitant injury, pre-existing comorbidities, steroid administration, and treatment plan. Overall, 1512 patients (mean age, 75.8 ± 6.9 years) were included in the study. The early mortality rate was 4.0%. Multivariate analysis identified older age (OR = 1.1, p < 0.001), male sex (OR = 3.7, p = 0.009), cervical spine fracture (OR = 4.2, p < 0.001), complete motor paralysis (OR = 8.4, p < 0.001), and chronic kidney disease (OR = 5.3, p < 0.001) as risk factors for early mortality. Older age, male sex, cervical spine fracture, complete motor paralysis, and chronic kidney disease are prognostic factors for early mortality in older patients with traumatic cervical spine injuries.

Background: The 1-year mortality and functional prognoses of patients who received surgery for cervical trauma in the elderly remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the rates of, and factors associated with mortality and the deterioration in walking capacity occurring 1 year after spinal fusion surgery for cervical fractures in patients 65 years of age or older. Methods: Three hundred thirteen patients aged 65 years or more with a traumatic cervical fracture who received spinal fusion surgery were enrolled. The patients were divided into a survival group and a mortality group, or a maintained walking capacity group and a deteriorated walking capacity group. We compared patients’ backgrounds, trauma, and surgical parameters between the two groups. To identify factors associated with mortality or a deteriorated walking capacity 1 year postoperatively, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. Results: One year postoperatively, the rate of mortality was 8%. A higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score, a more severe the American Spinal Cord Injury Association impairment scale (AIS), and longer surgical time were identified as independent factors associated with an increase in 1-year mortality. The rate of deterioration in walking capacity between pre-trauma and 1 year postoperatively was 33%. A more severe AIS, lower albumin (Alb) and hemoglobin (Hb) values, and a larger number of fused segments were identified as independent factors associated with the increased risk of deteriorated walking capacity 1 year postoperatively. Conclusions: The 1-year rate of mortality after spinal fusion surgery for cervical fracture in patients 65 years of age or older was 8%, and its associated factors were a higher CCI score, a more severe AIS, and a longer surgical time. The rate of deterioration in walking capacity was 33%, and its associated factors were a more severe AIS, lower Alb, lower Hb values, and a larger number of fused segments.

Sasagawa T, et al. Asian Spine J. 2015 Oct;9(5):803-806. http://dx.doi.org/10.4184/asj.2015.9.5.803

The number of elderly patients with cervical trauma is increasing. Such patients are considered to be at high risk for delirium, which is an acute neuropsychological disorder that reduces the patient’s capacity to interact with their environment due to impairments in cognition. This study aimed to establish a risk score that predicts delirium in elderly patients with cervical SCI and/or cervical fracture regardless of treatment type. This retrospective cohort study included 1512 patients aged ≥65 years with cervical SCI and/or cervical fracture. The risk factors for delirium according to treatment type (surgical or conservative) were calculated using multivariate logistic regression. A delirium risk score was established as the simple arithmetic sum of points assigned to variables that were significant in the multivariate analyses. Based on the statistical results, the delirium risk score was defined using six factors: old age (≥80 years), hypoalbuminemia, cervical fracture, major organ injury, dependence on pre-injury mobility, and comorbid diabetes. The score’s area under the curve for the prediction of delirium was 0.66 (p < 0.001). Although the current scoring system must be validated with an independent dataset, the system remains beneficial because it can be used after screening examinations upon hospitalization and before deciding the treatment strategy.

Introduction Some reports revealed that hidden blood loss (HBL) during surgery for traumatic thoracolumbar fracture cannot be ignored, even when using a percutaneous approach. Using percutaneous pedicle screws (PPS) for traumatic thoracolumbar fracture, this study aimed to compare estimate blood loss (EBL), including HBL, between early and late fixation. Methods This investigation was a retrospective study. In the present study, data from 39 patients who underwent posterior spinal stabilization using PPS for single-level thoracolumbar fracture have been included. We divided the patients into an early group (group E) (n = 20) in whom surgery was conducted within 3 days of fracture and a late group (group L) (n = 19) in whom surgery was conducted more than 3 days after fracture. We evaluated hemoglobin (Hb) on the day of injury, and 1, 3 or 4, and 7 days after surgery, EBL, HBL, and transfusion requirement. Results Hb on day 1 (group E: 12.2 ± 1.7 g/dL, group L: 12.3 ± 1.6 g/dL) was significantly less than that on the injured day (group E: 14.2 ± 1.7 g/dL, group L: 13.9 ± 1.7 g/dL) in both groups. The values of Hb and EBL were not significantly different at any time between the two groups. HBL (group E: 487 ± 266 mL, group L: 386 ± 305 mL) was not significantly different between the two groups. No patients required transfusion in either group. Conclusions EBL in early fixation using PPS for traumatic thoracolumbar fracture is not significantly different compared with that in late surgery from days 1 to 7 postoperatively. Early fixation using PPS for traumatic thoracolumbar fracture does not result in negative outcomes any more than those in late surgery in terms of blood loss.