Prevalence and characteristics of thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in 3299 Black patients: a cross-sectional study of a prospectively registered database.

Abstract

Objectives: To the best of our knowledge, the prevalence of thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (T-OPLL) in the Black population has never been studied and is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and characteristics of T-OPLL in the Black patients.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. All patients who underwent chest CT for the trauma screening and whose race was classified as 'Black' on the questionnaire were recruited in the study from March 2019 to March 2020. Demographic data, including age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), were recorded. T-OPLL was defined as ectopic OPLL of more than 2 mm thickness in the axial plane image of the CT scan. The prevalence and characteristics of T-OPLL, and the association of T-OPLL with BMI and DM were evaluated.

Results: A total of 3299 Black patients (1507 women and 1792 men) were included for the analysis. The prevalence of T-OPLL was 1.5% (50 patients), with 2.4% for females and 0.8% for males. The highest prevalence was observed in patients at the age of 70 years (3.8%). Thickness of T-OPLL was between 2 and 3 mm in 46% (23/50) of the patients, and the largest thickness was 6.1 mm. T-OPLL was significantly associated with female sex and the presence of DM.

Conclusions: The prevalence of T-OPLL was 1.5% in the 3299 Black patients who underwent chest CT for the trauma screening, with 2.4% for females and 0.8% for males.

Keywords: Bone diseases; Epidemiology; Spine.