Objective: To investigate the effect of current, former and passive smoking status on degeneration of lumbar intervertebral discs.
Material and Methods: Three hundred and sixty patients between the ages of 20-70 who underwent lumbar spinal magnetic resonance imaging were included in the study. The patients were grouped according to their smoking status as current, former, passive smoker and non-smokers. The cumulative smoking dose for current and former smokers was calculated in terms of pack-years and categorized further into two subgroups: smoked ≤9 pack-years or >9 pack-years. Patients who have been exposed to cigarette smoke for more than one year and more than one hour a day were included in the passive smoker group. The lumbar intervertebral discs were evaluated by Pfirrmann disc degeneration grading system using sagittal T2-weighted magnetic resonance images. Grades IV and V considered as severe disc degeneration.
Results: There was a statistically significant difference between smoking status and gender, age, body mass index and lumbar lordosis angle (p
Key words: Intervertebral disc degeneration; magnetic resonance imaging; smoking; current smoker; former smoker; passive smoker.
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