Lumbar facet joint arthrosis on magnetic resonance imaging and its association with low back pain in a selected Ghanaian population

Abstract

Objectives: Facet joint arthrosis is a common radiologic finding but remains controversial as a source of low back pain. We conducted a study to evaluate some of the potential risk factors contributing to the development of facet joint arthrosis, such as age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). The study aimed at establishing an association between these factors and facet joint arthrosis in the Ghanaian population, as a foundation for further research on low back pain. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study done at the Department of Radiology, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021. The study population included all cases referred to our department with complaints of low back pain. Patients below 18 years and those with a history of congenital lesions, trauma, infection, and malignancies were excluded. A total of 1017 cases were identified with facet joint arthrosis. The mean difference in age and BMI between males and females was compared using an independent sample t-test. Statistical association was done using Pearson’s Chi-square test. P ≤ 0.05 was used as statistical significance. Results: Majority of the study subjects were overweight with a mean BMI of 27.31 ± 5.37 kg/m2. The mean age was 53.61 ± 16.22 years, and majority were within the age of 51–60 years. Age was significantly associated with the prevalence of facet joint arthrosis. Conclusion: The prevalence of facet joint arthrosis is significantly associated with increasing age but not with the BMI. Lumbar facet joint arthrosis is more prevalent in women than in men, which may be due to the sensitivity of cartilage to female sex hormones.