Magnetic resonance imaging findings in cervical and lumbar spine pathologies and their impact on the patients’ quality of life

Abstract

AIM
This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in cervical and lumbar spine pathologies and quality of life of the affected patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 242 patients diagnosed with cervical and lumbar spine pathologies. The Short-Form-36 questionnaire was used to collect data on the quality of life (Qol) outcomes. The data were analyzed using statistical tools.
RESULTS
The Qol domains, all showed poor scores for lumbar pathologies; Physical-Function = 33.63 ± 12.07 and Role-Physical = 38.25 ±24.11). The Qol of patients with cervical pathologies were all poor with exception of role emotion (RE) reaching the 50% marks (51.65±22.91). The Chi-square (χ²) revealed statistically significant relationships between cervical spine pathologies and QoL parameters such as Vitality (2 = 228.663, p= 0.044) and social function ( χ2 = 269.089, p = 0.0000). There were statistically significant relationships between the lumbar spine pathologies and the QoL parameters; general health (χ2 = 308.916, p =0.000) and bodily pain (χ2 = 154.393, p = 0.000).
CONCLUSION
Spondylotic changes were the commonest disease entity in both spinal regions. Participants with lumbar spine pathologies had poor quality of life in all subscales of the QoL domains and there was significant negative impact of the pathologies on the patients’ QoL. MRI practitioners can explore this aspect for protocol decision-making processes to optimize patient’s healthcare.