Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Cervical Spine Degeneration Reveal Frequent Cervicolumbar Tandem Spinal Stenosis in Mexico

Parménides Guadarrama-Ortiz; César Osvaldo Ruíz-Rivero; Deyanira Capi-Casillas; Alondra Román-Villagómez; Ángel Daniel Prieto-Rivera; José Alberto Choreño-Parra

doi:10.14444/8520

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Table 1

Participant characteristics.

Characteristics	N = 50
Demographic
Age, y	54.0 (46.5, 68.8)
Male gender	13 (26%)
Hispanic race	50 (100%)
Body mass index, kg/m²	26.6 (24.2, 30.3)
Comorbidities
Hypertension	14 (28%)
Depression	14 (28%)
Anxiety	14 (28%)
Obesity	13 (26%)
Alcoholism	13 (26%)
Smoking	11 (22%)
Diabetes	7 (14%)
Renal failure	3 (6.0%)
Hepatic failure	1 (2.0%)
Previous surgery	35 (70%)
Clinical manifestations
Symptom duration, mo	11.6 (0.0, 120)^{^a}
Radicular arm/neck pain	39 (80%)
Paresthesia/tingling	35 (70%)
Reduced muscle strength	24 (48%)
Gait changes	24 (48%)
Numbness/hypoesthesia	13 (26%)
Headache	8 (16%)
Objective sensory impairment	5 (10%)
Radiological findings
Cervical segments, n	2.0 (2.0, 3.0)
1	2 (4.0%)
2	24 (48%)
3 or more	19 (38%)
C5–C6	46 (92%)
C4–C5	44 (88%)
C6–C7	21 (42%)
C3–C4	15 (30%)
C2–C3	2 (4.0%)
C7–T1	1 (2.0%)
Disc herniation	44 (88%)
Foramen stenosis	33 (67%)
Central canal stenosis	19 (38%)
Ligament flavum hypertrophy	12 (24%)
Myelopathy	11 (22%)
Spondylolisthesis	2 (4.0%)
Vital signs
Temperature, °C	36.3 (36.1, 36.5)
Heart rate, bpm	76.0 (70.0, 88.0)
Respiratory rate, rpm	19.0 (18.0, 20.0)
Mean arterial blood pressure, mmHg	86.7 (82.5, 93.3)
>100 mmHg	6/46 (13%)
Saturation, %	94.0 (92.0, 95.0)
Laboratory parameters
White blood cells, per μL	7200.0 (5900.0, 8900.0)
>10,000 /μL	7/44 (16%)
Neutrophils, per μL	4597.0 (3382.2, 6041.0)
>8000 /μL	7/39 (18%)
Lymphocytes, per μL	1978.0 (1696.5, 2434.0)
<1000 /μL	3/39 (7.7%)
Hemoglobin, g/dL	14.3 (13.6, 15.6)
Anemia	6/43 (14%)
Hematocrit, %	44.0 (39.8, 46.3)
Platelets, per μL	262.0 (236.2, 305.0)
Glucose, mg/dL	98.0 (87.0, 108.0)
>126 mg/dL	9/45 (20%)
Blood urea nitrogen, mg/dL	14.2 (12.1, 22.0)
>20 mg/dL	13/41 (32%)
Creatinine, mg/dL	0.7 (0.7, 0.9)
>1.1 mg/dL	5/45 (11%)
Uric acid, mg/dL	5.1 (3.7, 6.1)
>8.5 mg/dL	1/43 (2.3%)
Na, mEq/L	139.0 (138.0, 142.0)
K, mmol/L	4.0 (3.8, 4.4)
Ca, mg/dL	9.3 (9.1, 9.6)
Bilirubin, mg/dL	0.5 (0.3, 0.7)
>1.2 mg/dL	1/38 (2.6%)
Aspartate aminotransferase, U/L	22.0 (19.0, 27.0)
>33 U/L	6/37 (16%)
Alanine aminotransferase, U/L	27.5 (16.8, 35.5)
>36 U/L	9/36 (25%)
Lactate dehydrogenase, IU/L	219.5 (183.2, 415.0)
>280 IU/L	14/34 (41%)
Cholesterol, mg/dL	198.0 (165.0, 208.0)
>200 mg/dL	19/41 (46%)
Triglycerides, mg/dL	181.9 (112.5, 236.0)
>150 mg/dL	29/40 (72%)

Note: Data are displayed as n (%), n/N (%), or median (interquartile range).
↵a Duration of symptoms is displayed as median with range. N is the total number of participants with available information.

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Table 2

Lumbar spine changes in patients with degenerative cervical spinal disease.

Characteristics	N = 50
Cervicolumbar tandem spinal stenosis	24 (48%)
Lumbar segments, n	2.0 (1.0, 2.0)
1	3 (12%)
2	14 (58%)
≥3	7 (29%)
L4–L5	23 (46%)
L5–S1	22 (44%)
L3–L4	3 (6.0%)
L1–L2	1 (2.0%)
L2–L3	1 (2.0%)

Note: Data are displayed as n (%) or median (interquartile range).

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Table 3

Comparison of demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with CLTSS.

Characteristics	CLTSS N = 24	Non-CLTSS N = 26	P Value
Demographics
Age, y	61.0 (52.0, 73.0)	51.5 (44.5, 60.0)	0.022
Male gender	8 (33%)	5 (19%)	0.3
Body mass index, kg/m²	26.6 (23.8, 31.4)	26.3 (24.2, 29.6)	0.9
Comorbidities
Obesity	7 (29%)	6 (23%)	0.6
Hypertension	11 (46%)	3 (12%)	0.007
Depression	11 (46%)	3 (12%)	0.007
Anxiety	9 (38%)	5 (19%)	0.2
Alcoholism	6 (25%)	7 (27%)	0.9
Smoking	5 (21%)	6 (23%)	0.8
Diabetes	5 (21%)	2 (7.7%)	0.2
Renal failure	2 (8.3%)	1 (3.8%)	0.6
Hepatic failure	1 (4.2%)	0 (0%)	0.5
Previous surgery	18 (75%)	17 (65%)	0.5
Clinical manifestations
Symptom duration, mo	16.0 (0.0, 120)	7.1 (0.0, 58.0)	0.023
Radicular/neck pain	18 (78%)	21 (81%)	>0.9
Paresthesia/tingling	17 (71%)	18 (69%)	>0.9
Reduced muscle strength	14 (58%)	10 (38%)	0.2
Gait changes	14 (58%)	10 (38%)	0.2
Numbness/hypoesthesia	8 (33%)	5 (19%)	0.3
Headache	5 (21%)	3 (12%)	0.5
Sensory impairment	4 (17%)	1 (3.8%)	0.2
Radiological findings
Cervical segments, n	2.5 (2.0, 3.0)	2.0 (2.0, 3.0)	0.4
1	0 (0%)	2 (7.7%)	0.5
2	12 (50%)	12 (46%)	0.8
3	8 (33%)	11 (42%)	0.5
4 or more	4 (17%)	1 (3.8%)	0.2
C2–C3	2 (8.3%)	0 (0%)	0.2
C3–C4	10 (42%)	5 (19%)	0.084
C4–C5	21 (88%)	23 (88%)	>0.9
C5–C6	21 (88%)	25 (96%)	0.3
C6–C7	11 (46%)	10 (38%)	0.6
C7–T1	1 (4.2%)	0 (0%)	0.5
Disc herniation	21 (88%)	23 (88%)	>0.9
Foraminal stenosis	17 (74%)	16 (62%)	0.4
Central canal stenosis	12 (50%)	7 (27%)	0.093
Myelopathy	7 (29%)	4 (15%)	0.2
Ligament flavum hypertrophy	5 (21%)	7 (27%)	0.6
Spondylolisthesis	2 (8.3%)	0 (0%)	0.2

Abbreviation: CLTSS, cervicolumbar tandem spinal stenosis.
Note: Data are displayed as n (%) or median (interquartile range).
a Duration of symptoms is displayed as median with range. N is the total number of participants with available information. Differences between groups were analyzed with the Fisher exact test, χ² test, or Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate.

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Table 4

Vital signs and laboratory parameters of patients with CLTSS.

Characteristics	CLTSS N = 24	Non-CLTSS N = 26	P Value
Vital signs
Temperature, °C	36.3 (36.0, 36.5)	36.3 (36.2, 36.5)	0.7
Heart rate, bpm	78.0 (72.0, 88.0)	75.0 (70.0, 87.0)	0.5
Respiratory rate, rpm	19.0 (18.0, 20.0)	20.0 (18.0, 20.0)	0.5
Mean arterial blood pressure, mmHg	86.7 (83.3, 95.0)	86.7 (80.0, 90.0)	0.3
>100 mmHg	4/23 (17%)	2/23 (8.3%)	0.4
Saturation, %	93.0 (91.0, 95.0)	94.0 (92.0, 95.0)	0.2
Laboratory parameters
White blood cells, per μL	7070.0 (5772.5, 8665.0)	7300.0 (6000.0, 8900.0)	0.4
>10,000/μL	3/22 (14%)	4/22 (18%)	> 0.9
Neutrophils, per μL	3834.0 (3401.5, 5790.0)	5184.0 (3438.5, 6113.5)	0.3
>8000/μL	4/21 (19%)	3/18 (16%)	> 0.9
Lymphocytes, per μL	1964.0 (1572.0, 2340.5)	1978.0 (1763.0, 2530.5)	0.3
<1000 /μL	2/20 (10%)	1/19 (5.3%)	> 0.9
Hemoglobin, g/dL	14.3 (13.6, 16.1)	14.3 (14.0, 15.1)	0.7
Anemia	2/21 (9.5%)	4/22 (17%)	0.7
Hematocrit, %	43.5 (39.0, 46.8)	44.0 (41.4, 46.0)	> 0.9
Platelets, per μL	256.0 (234.0, 305.0)	262.0 (238.0, 304.0)	> 0.9
Glucose, mg/dL	107.9 (98.0, 134.0)	90.0 (83.8, 102.0)	0.010
>126 mg/dL	7/21 (33%)	2/24 (8.3%)	0.061
Blood urea nitrogen, mg/dL	21.7 (14.2, 24.3)	13.2 (10.8, 15.1)	0.009
>20 mg/dL	9/17 (53%)	4/24 (17%)	0.014
Creatinine, mg/dL	0.8 (0.7, 0.9)	0.7 (0.7, 0.8)	0.2
>1.1 mg/dL	4/21 (19%)	1/24 (4.2%)	0.2
Uric acid, mg/dL	5.7 (4.0, 6.9)	4.8 (3.7, 5.8)	0.3
>8.5 mg/dL	0/19 (0%)	1/24 (4.2%)	> 0.9
Na, mEq/L	138.6 (137.0, 142.0)	141.0 (138.0, 142.0)	0.4
K, mmol/L	4.2 (3.9, 4.4)	4.0 (3.8, 4.1)	0.2
Ca, mg/dL	9.4 (9.2, 9.6)	9.3 (9.1, 9.5)	0.7
Bilirubin, mg/dL	0.3 (0.3, 0.5)	0.5 (0.4, 0.7)	0.025
>1.2 mg/dL	0/14 (0%)	1/24 (4.2%)	> 0.9
Aspartate aminotransferase, U/L	19.0 (18.0, 24.5)	24.0 (20.2, 30.8)	0.12
>33 U/L	1/15 (6.7%)	5/22 (23%)	0.4
Alanine aminotransferase, U/L	22.0 (16.3, 31.0)	32.0 (18.5, 42.0)	0.14
>36 U/L	1/14 (7.1%)	8/22 (36%)	0.062
Lactate hydrogenase, IU/L	219.5 (181.8, 346.8)	234.0 (183.2, 427.8)	0.7
>280 IU/L	4/12 (33%)	10/22 (45%)	0.5
Cholesterol, mg/dL	198.0 (139.5, 240.0)	194.5 (169.2, 207.5)	0.9
>200 mg/dL	9/19 (47%)	10/22 (45%)	> 0.9
Triglycerides, mg/dL	169.4 (108.8, 198.2)	190.0 (160.0, 238.2)	0.2
>150 mg/dL	11/18 (61%)	18/22 (82%)	0.14

Abbreviation: CLTSS, cervico-lumbar tandem spinal stenosis.
Note: Data are displayed as n (%), n/N (%), or median (interquartile range). N is the total number of participants with available information. Differences between groups were analyzed with the Fisher exact test, χ² test, or Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate.