Epidemiological Studies on the Different Occurrence of Senile Vertebral Croockendness in Farm and Fishing Villages

Abstract

To elucidate the regional difference of occurence and distribution of vertebral croockedness of senile population, 2649 male and female of the fifth decades and over somatometrically measured in Farm Village H and Fishing Village K of north-east Japan. Vertebral croockedness from the prominence of the 7th cervical vertebral spine to that of the 4th lumbar vertebra was copied using an adjustable curve rule individually. From the curve, the distance of the two prominences, the maximal croockedness index, the position of maximal croockedness and so on were measured or calculated for each kyphotic and lordotic curvature, respectively. (1) The kyphotic indices take normal distribution, and show gradual increment by age in both the villages. And the increments are more rapid at the people of the farm village, especially after the sixth decades. From these indices the senile croockedness characterized as concomitant increase and descendence of the maximal croockedness. (2) The distribution of lordotic indices tends to show skewness from normal distribution to gamma type distribution with the advancement of age classes. And the skewness is greater in the farm village compared to that of the fishing village. From these indices the senile croockedness characterized as the decreasing or vanishing lordosis with the descendence of the maximal croockedness position. These features appears more distinctly for the farm village and female. (3) Significant positive correlation was seen between the maximal croockedness index and the maximal croockedness position for kyphosis (p<0.01), whereas the significant negative correlation was seen between the two parameters of lordosis (p<0.01). (4) Four hundred and seventy seven examinees of both sexes of the sixth and the seventh decades were X-rayed to elucidate the correlation between the croockedness and osteoporotic changes of the lumbar vertebrae. The results show that both the croockedness and the osteoporotic changes in vertebra appeared markedly in the farm village. (5) The nutriment survey processed in both villages revealed that nutritional intake was one of the most valid factors to prevent the earlier occurrence of senile croockedness and osteoporotic changes in the fishing villages, in addition to other factors such as sun shine and the labor habits.