A Longitudinal Study of Cervical Spine Function in Community Dwelling Japanese with Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to elucidate the characteristics of cervical spine function in the ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the cervical spine using a patient-oriented scoring system in a longitudinal survey of the general population.

Methods: The subjects were 538 people who participated in the Iwaki Health Promotion Project in 2008 or 2010 at the time of the first survey and revisited 7 years later (at the time of the second survey). We evaluated plain radiographs of the lateral cervical spine, cervical spine function, upper extremity function, and lower extremity function using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire (JOACMEQ). These scores were compared between the OPLL and the non-OPLL groups.

Results: The prevalence of cervical OPLL was 4.8%. During the 7 years between evaluations, the cervical spine function score of JOACMEQ decreased by 3.5 points, the upper extremity function decreased by 0.2 points, and the lower extremity function decreased by 3.1 points in the OPLL group, The change of cervical spine function was significantly correlated with the changes of upper and lower extremity function and cervical function score at the first survey in the OPLL group.

Conclusions: Cervical spine function in cervical OPLL may decrease in relation to functional decline of the extremities.