A recent study conducted by Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and Showa University has found that age and congestive heart failure are significant risk factors in the progression of lumbar disc degeneration. The research utilized advanced imaging techniques to determine that these factors speed up the deterioration of the nucleus pulposus, which is the gel-like center of intervertebral discs.
Frank P. Cammisa Jr., MD, Chief Emeritus of HSS Spine, and Alexander P. Hughes, MD, spine surgeon at HSS, co-authored the study. They suggest that these findings may lead to more targeted treatments and prevention strategies for patients experiencing or at risk for lumbar disc degeneration.
More details about the study can be found at ryortho.com.
