4PATTERN OF DEGENERATIVE SPINAL CANAL STENOSIS IN SOUTH OF IRAQ. A REVIEW OF 1699 CASES

Abstract

Background context: Both systemic hypertension and degenerative spinal canal stenosis arecommon diseases in the population, however, the cross relationship had not been reported.Purpose: To determine the incidence of systemic hypertension among patients withdegenerative spinal canal stenosis and to describe the pattern of this degenerative spinal canalstenosis in south of iraq.Study design: Retrospective and prospective review.Patient sample: A total of 1699 persons (644 females and 1055 males) whom their bloodpressure measured. A 326 patients had degenerative spinal canal stenosis and 1373 not hadspinal stenosis {599 patients had prolapsed intervertebral disc prolapse operated on(controlno.1 group) and 774 persons were normal (control no.2 group)}.Outcome measure: Postoperative blood pressure monitoring.Methods: Systemic blood pressure measurement were reviewed for all of the 1699 personswith postoperative follow up of their blood pressure, also the level of pathology was recorded.Results: Systemic hypertension was present in 46% of patients with degenerative spinal canalstenosis, 18.1% of patients with intervertebral disc prolapse (control no.1) and in 17.4% ofnormal persons(control no.2). Postoperativly, hypertension resolved spontaneously or easilycontrolled with less number and lower doses of antihypertensive drugs.Conclusion: Systemic hypertension highly prevalent among patients with spinal stenosis anddisappear or becomes lower after operative treatment.