Cervical Spine Motion in the Elderly

Summary

Rationale:

Physiological motion of the cervical spine is a subject of interest for medical specialists. Segmental range of motion (sROM) has been most commonly used to define motion but inter- and intra-variability is large. Therefore, a sequence of segmental contributions in the lower cervical spine during the second half of extension has been defined in healthy participants (uniform in 80-90%). The mean age of these participants was 23 years. Since cervical degenerative disc disease (CDDD) occurs more often in elderly patients, it is of paramount importance to study whether this sequence remains present during aging, regardless of losing 0.11 degrees of sROM each year.

Objective:

To investigate if the normal sequence of segmental contributions in the lower cervical spine during the second half of extension (C4-C5 followed by C5-C6, and then C6- C7) is also present in asymptomatic participants between 55 and 70 years of age by using cinematographic recordings.

Study design:

Fundamental research

Study population:

Eleven asymptomatic participants between 55 and 70 years of age, without a medical history of neck problems, with a score of 4 or less on the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and without severe degenerative changes based on a score of 3 or less on the radiological Kellgrens' classification.

Intervention:

Two flexion and extension cinematographic recordings of the cervical spine with a two-week interval between recordings.

Main study parameters/endpoints:

Primary endpoint: Defining the cervical spines' physiological motion pattern by analysing the normal sequence of segmental contributions in the lower cervical spine (C4-C5 followed by C5-C6, and then C6-C7) during the second halfof extension in asymptomatic participants between 55 and 70 years of age.

Secondary endpoint: Determine sROM of C4-C5, C5-C6, and C6-C7 by analysing the flexion and extension cinematographic recordings in asymptomatic participants between 55 and 70 years of age.

Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: Participants receive cinematographic recordings twice. There will be no follow-up.

Conditions

• Cervical Spine Degeneration
• Movement, Abnormal
• Aging

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Cinematographic Recording

A cinematographic recording during the second half of extension of the cervical spine will be made during 16 seconds at two timepoints with an interval of two weeks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Zuyderland Medisch Centrum

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Henk Van Santbrink, MD, PhD, Prof · Maastricht University Medical Centre

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

55 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-10-10

Primary Completion

2020-02-01

Completion

2020-02-01

Countries

• Netherlands

Study Locations