Investigating the Relationship Between Paraspinal Fatty Muscle Infiltration (FMI) and the Severity of Degenerative Lumbar Canal Stenosis (LCS): A Correlation Analysis
Study Design Prospective observational study. Objective This study aimed to correlate the degree of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltration with the severity of lumbar canal stenosis, the demographic characteristics of the patient, the radiological parameters, and clinical scores. Material and Met...
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Knowledge E
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Spine Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://knepublishing.com/index.php/jsp/article/view/18157 |
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| author | Archit Goyal Kalidutta Das Tarush Rustagi |
| author_facet | Archit Goyal Kalidutta Das Tarush Rustagi |
| author_sort | Archit Goyal |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Study Design
Prospective observational study.
Objective
This study aimed to correlate the degree of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltration with the severity of lumbar canal stenosis, the demographic characteristics of the patient, the radiological parameters, and clinical scores.
Material and Methodology
This is a single-centre observational study in patients with secondary degenerative lumbar canal stenosis in patients older than 35 with radiological features matching the clinical symptoms. The demographic characteristics, fatty muscle infiltration (FMI) grade of multifidus and erector spinae muscles, lumbar canal stenosis (LCS) grade, neurological status, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, oswestry disability index (ODI) score, and endplate modic changes were recorded. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS v.25. For the comparison of categorical variables between groups, a chi-square test was used. A p-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
Results
The mean age of the study participants was 62.2 ±10.9 years. Of the 150 patients, 60.7% were women. The mean BMI of the patients was 27.8 ± 2.8 kg/m2. 121(80.7%) patients presented with low back pain at their first visit. 36.7% of the patients presented with claudication symptoms at their first visit. It was observed that 3.3% of the patients presented with cauda equina syndrome (CES). The mean duration of symptoms was 20.9 ± 16.3 months. The mean VAS score at the presentation was 5.9 ± 1.3. The mean ODI score at the first visit was 27.7 ± 6.1. Fatty muscle infiltration of the multifidus but not the erector spinae is associated with higher pain and ODI scores. The grade of FMI does not significantly correlate with the grade of LCS. Age significantly affects degenerative paraspinal muscle changes independent of the pathology. Other factors like BMI, gender, presence or absence of modic changes do not significantly affect the severity of stenosis, degree of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltration, and the pain and disability scores of the patients.
Conclusion
The study revealed that the grade of FMI does not significantly correlate with the grade of degenerative lumbar canal stenosis. Age significantly affects degenerative paraspinal muscle changes independent of the pathology.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2afc3dce65b64f5ebfcc606b6332e6f2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2789-9454 2789-9462 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Knowledge E |
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| series | Journal of Spine Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-2afc3dce65b64f5ebfcc606b6332e6f22025-08-20T03:43:58ZengKnowledge EJournal of Spine Practice2789-94542789-94622025-07-014310.18502/jsp.v4i3.18157Investigating the Relationship Between Paraspinal Fatty Muscle Infiltration (FMI) and the Severity of Degenerative Lumbar Canal Stenosis (LCS): A Correlation AnalysisArchit Goyal0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8193-7625Kalidutta Das1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9067-2561Tarush Rustagi2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9950-3780Department of Spine Services, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, Vasant Kunj, Sector C, New Delhi – 110070Department of Spine Services, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, Vasant Kunj, Sector C, New Delhi – 110070Department of Spine Services, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, Vasant Kunj, Sector C, New Delhi – 110070 Study Design Prospective observational study. Objective This study aimed to correlate the degree of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltration with the severity of lumbar canal stenosis, the demographic characteristics of the patient, the radiological parameters, and clinical scores. Material and Methodology This is a single-centre observational study in patients with secondary degenerative lumbar canal stenosis in patients older than 35 with radiological features matching the clinical symptoms. The demographic characteristics, fatty muscle infiltration (FMI) grade of multifidus and erector spinae muscles, lumbar canal stenosis (LCS) grade, neurological status, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, oswestry disability index (ODI) score, and endplate modic changes were recorded. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS v.25. For the comparison of categorical variables between groups, a chi-square test was used. A p-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results The mean age of the study participants was 62.2 ±10.9 years. Of the 150 patients, 60.7% were women. The mean BMI of the patients was 27.8 ± 2.8 kg/m2. 121(80.7%) patients presented with low back pain at their first visit. 36.7% of the patients presented with claudication symptoms at their first visit. It was observed that 3.3% of the patients presented with cauda equina syndrome (CES). The mean duration of symptoms was 20.9 ± 16.3 months. The mean VAS score at the presentation was 5.9 ± 1.3. The mean ODI score at the first visit was 27.7 ± 6.1. Fatty muscle infiltration of the multifidus but not the erector spinae is associated with higher pain and ODI scores. The grade of FMI does not significantly correlate with the grade of LCS. Age significantly affects degenerative paraspinal muscle changes independent of the pathology. Other factors like BMI, gender, presence or absence of modic changes do not significantly affect the severity of stenosis, degree of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltration, and the pain and disability scores of the patients. Conclusion The study revealed that the grade of FMI does not significantly correlate with the grade of degenerative lumbar canal stenosis. Age significantly affects degenerative paraspinal muscle changes independent of the pathology. https://knepublishing.com/index.php/jsp/article/view/18157multifiduserector spinaelow back painMRIlumbar canal stenosis |
| spellingShingle | Archit Goyal Kalidutta Das Tarush Rustagi Investigating the Relationship Between Paraspinal Fatty Muscle Infiltration (FMI) and the Severity of Degenerative Lumbar Canal Stenosis (LCS): A Correlation Analysis Journal of Spine Practice multifidus erector spinae low back pain MRI lumbar canal stenosis |
| title | Investigating the Relationship Between Paraspinal Fatty Muscle Infiltration (FMI) and the Severity of Degenerative Lumbar Canal Stenosis (LCS): A Correlation Analysis |
| title_full | Investigating the Relationship Between Paraspinal Fatty Muscle Infiltration (FMI) and the Severity of Degenerative Lumbar Canal Stenosis (LCS): A Correlation Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the Relationship Between Paraspinal Fatty Muscle Infiltration (FMI) and the Severity of Degenerative Lumbar Canal Stenosis (LCS): A Correlation Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Relationship Between Paraspinal Fatty Muscle Infiltration (FMI) and the Severity of Degenerative Lumbar Canal Stenosis (LCS): A Correlation Analysis |
| title_short | Investigating the Relationship Between Paraspinal Fatty Muscle Infiltration (FMI) and the Severity of Degenerative Lumbar Canal Stenosis (LCS): A Correlation Analysis |
| title_sort | investigating the relationship between paraspinal fatty muscle infiltration fmi and the severity of degenerative lumbar canal stenosis lcs a correlation analysis |
| topic | multifidus erector spinae low back pain MRI lumbar canal stenosis |
| url | https://knepublishing.com/index.php/jsp/article/view/18157 |
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