Changes of Sagittal Spinopelvic Parameters in Normal Koreans with Age over 50

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective comparative study. PURPOSE: To describe the changes in the spinopelvic parameters on normal Koreans more than 50 years of age. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: There are differing opinions regarding the changes in the thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, C7 plumb with age in the elderly population. METHODS: Sagittal standing radiographs of the whole spine including the pelvis in 132 Korean adult male volunteers more than 50 years of age were evaluated prospectively. Volunteers with a history of spine operation, spinal disease, pain in their back or legs, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, monosegment disc space narrowing, or compression fracture in radiographs were excluded. The following parameters were included: thoracic kyphosis (T5 upper end plate [UEP]-T12 lower end plate [LEP]), thoracolumbar kyphosis (T10 UEP-L2 LEP), lumbar lordosis (T12 LEP-S1 UEP), lower lumbar lordosis (L4 UEP-S1 UEP), sacral slope, pelvic incidence, and the distances from the C7 plumb to the posterosuperior endplate of S1. These parameters in the 6th, 7th and 8th decade groups were compared and the changes in these parameters according to age were examined. RESULTS: The thoracic kyphosis demonstrated significant differences in the in the three age groups (p = 0.019), and increased with age (r = 0.239, p < 0.006). The other parameters did not show any significant difference or correlation. CONCLUSIONS: Similar global sagittal balances and spinopelvic parameters may be observed in Korean males older than 50 years, with a trend towards increasing thoracic kyphosis with age.