BackgroundDisc degeneration (DD) is a common condition that progresses with aging. Although the events leading to DD are not well understood, a significant genetic influence has been found. This study was undertaken to assess the association between relevant candidate gene polymorphisms and moderate DD in a well-defined and characterized cohort of young adults. Focusing on young age can be valuable in determining genetic predisposition to DD.MethodsWe investigated the associations of existing candidate genes for DD among 538 young adults with a mean age of 19 belonging to the 1986 Northern Finland Birth Cohort. Nineteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in 16 genes were genotyped. We evaluated lumbar DD using the modified Pfirrmann classification and a 1.5-T magnetic resonance scanner for imaging.ResultsOf the 538 individuals studied, 46% had no degeneration, while 54% had DD and 51% of these had moderate DD. The risk of DD was significantly higher in subjects with an allele G of IL6 SNPs rs1800795 (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.07-1.96) and rs1800797 (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.02-1.85) in the additive inheritance model. The role of IL6 was further supported by the haplotype analysis, which resulted in an association between the GGG haplotype (SNPs rs1800797, rs1800796 and rs1800795) and DD with an OR of 1.51 (95% CI 1.11-2.04). In addition, we observed an association between DD and two other polymorphisms, SKT rs16924573 (OR 0.27 95% CI 0.07-0.96) and CILP rs2073711 in women (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.07-3.89).ConclusionOur results indicate that IL6, SKT and CILP are involved in the etiology of DD among young adults.

BackgroundSome studies suggest that leg length discrepancy (LLD) is associated with low back pain (LBP) but many have not found such an association leading to conflicting evidence on the role of LLD in LBP.MethodsThe study population consisted of meat cutters with a standing job and customer service workers with a sedentary job from Atria Suomi Ltd (Nurmo, Finland) who were at least 35 years old and had been working in their jobs for at least 10 years. Leg length of each participant was measured with a laser range meter fixed in a rod, which was holding the scanning head of the ultrasound apparatus. Association of the intensity of LBP (10-cm Visual Analog Scale) with LLD was analysed by linear regression model, while the hurdle model was used in analysing the association of number of days with LBP and days on sick leave during the past year. Associations were adjusted by gender, age, BMI, smoking, depressive feelings and type of work (standing or sedentary job).ResultsThe final study population consisted of 114 meat cutters (26 females and 88 males) and 34 customer service workers (30 females and four males). Forty-nine percent of the meat cutters and 44% of the customer service workers had LLD of at least 6 mm, while 16% and 15%, respectively, had LLD of at least 11 mm. In the whole study population, LLD of 6 mm or more was associated with higher intensity of LBP and number of days with LBP. In the stratified analysis, both intensity of LBP and number of days of LBP were associated with LLD among meat cutters but not among customer service workers. The sick leaves during past year were slightly longer among those with LLD 10 mm or more, but the differences were not statistically significant.ConclusionsLLD, measured with a laser range meter, was associated with intensity of LBP and self-reported days with LBP during the past year among meat cutters engaged in standing work.Trial registrationISRCTN11898558 - The role of leg length discrepancy in low back pain.

Lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, and level of physical activity predict low back pain (LBP) and sciatica. The authors investigated whether participating in sports, smoking, and being overweight or obese at 14 years of age predicted hospitalizations due to LBP or sciatica in adulthood. In 1980, at the age of 14 years, a total of 11,399 members of the 1966 Northern Finland Birth Cohort returned the postal questionnaire. Patients from the 1966 Northern Finland Birth Cohort who were hospitalized because of LBP or sciatica were followed to the end of 2008 through the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register. Data were analyzed using Cox's proportional hazards multistate model with the Markov clock forward time scale. During follow-up, 119 females (2.7%) and 254 males (5.6%) had been hospitalized at least once because of LBP or sciatica. Among females, overweight was associated with an increased risk of second-time hospitalization for surgical treatment for sciatica (hazard ratio = 7.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.5, 34.4). Among males, smoking was associated with an increased risk of first-time nonsurgical hospitalization (hazard ratio = 1.8, 95% confidence interval: 1.2, 2.7) and second-time surgical hospitalization (hazard ratio = 3.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.2, 8.2). The authors found potentially modifiable risk factors in adolescence that predicted hospital treatments for low back disorders during adolescence and young adulthood.

Our review of the reported candidate genes shows that the current understanding of the genetic factors contributing to the development of MD is limited, and that the study of its etiology would benefit greatly from more comprehensive genetic knowledge.

AimsTo examine work disability trajectories among employees with and without diabetes and identify lifestyle‐related factors associated with these trajectories.MethodsWe assessed work disability using records of sickness absence and disability pension among participants with diabetes and age‐ sex‐, socio‐economic status‐ and marital status‐matched controls in the Finnish Public Sector Study (1102 cases; 2204 controls) and the French GAZEL study (500 cases; 1000 controls), followed up for 5 years. Obesity, physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption were assessed at baseline and the data analysed using group‐based trajectory modelling.ResultsFive trajectories described work disability: ‘no/very low disability’ (41.1% among cases and 48.0% among controls); ‘low–steady’ (35.4 and 34.7%, respectively); ‘high–steady’ (13.6 and 12.1%, respectively); and two ‘high–increasing’ trajectories (10.0 and 5.2%, respectively). Diabetes was associated with a ‘high–increasing’ trajectory only (odds ratio 1.90, 95% CI 1.47–2.46). Obesity and low physical activity were similarly associated with high work disability in people with and without diabetes. Smoking was associated with ‘high–increasing’ trajectory in employees with diabetes (odds ratio 1.88, 95% CI 1.21–2.93) but not in those without diabetes (odds ratio 1.32, 95% CI 0.87–2.00). Diabetes was associated with having multiple ( ≥ 2) risk factors (21.1 vs. 11.4%) but the association between multiple risk factors and the ‘high–increasing’ trajectory was similar in both groups.ConclusionsThe majority of employees with diabetes have low disability rates, although 10% are on a high and increasing disability trajectory. Lifestyle‐related risk factors have similar associations with disability among employees with and without diabetes, except smoking which was only associated with poorer prognosis in diabetes.