Discopatía degenerativa lumbar diagnosticada por resonancia magnética nuclear en pacientes con dolor lumbar crónico y factores asociados. Hospital José Carrasco Arteaga, Cuenca 2017

Abstract

Background: The degenerative processes of the lumbar spine represent a problem in the current world, its etiology is multiple and little studied at the local level. The use of magnetic resonance in the study of lumbar degenerative disease offers the diagnostic definition required for this pathology. Objective: To determine the prevalence of lumbar degenerative disc disease diagnosed by nuclear magnetic resonance in patients with chronic low back pain and its associated factors in the José Carrasco Arteaga Hospital in the city of Cuenca, January - December 2017 period. Method and Techniques: An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in the Hospital José Carrasco Arteaga, from January to December 2017, in patients who presented chronic low back pain with a clinical MRI indication, with the objective of describing the imaging findings by this technique. The variables will be taken into account: age, sex, occupation, smoking, in addition to the main imaging findings. A sample was taken where 152 patients were required for the study. Results: a high prevalence of 90.1% was found, frequency of 53.9% of the female sex. In terms of age, patients were in the highest percentage between 35 and 64 years with 57.2%. The mean age was 51.77 SD ± 15.46. We found a risk of 1.38 times higher in patients who smoke, patients who perform physical activity have a 2.10 times higher risk of presenting discopathy patients with body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 had 4.44 times more risk of developing degenerative disc disease. Patients older than 50 years have a 24.2-fold greater risk of presenting degenerative disc disease with statistical significance. Conclusions: a high prevalence of discopathy was found, a statistically significant association was found with age greater than 50 years.