EBQ:Twin Spine Study
PubMed PDF
Clinical Question
What is the contribution of genetics to disc degeneration?
Conclusion
There is a substantial influence of heredity on lumbar disc degeneration. There is little effect on disc degeneration from occupational and leisuretime physical loading, and increased loading may have a small benefit. There is only a small effect from smoking. Body weight and muscle strength have modest effects on disc degeneration.
Design
The Twin Spine Study, which started in 1991, is a multidisciplinary, multinational research project with collaborators primarily in Canada, Finland, and the United States. They investigated occupational exposures, driving and whole-body vibration exposure, smoking exposure, anthropomorphic factors, heritability, and the identification of genotypes associated with disc degeneration.
