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 are common diseases in the population, however, the cross relationship had not been reported. Purpose: To determine the incidence of systemic hypertension among patients with degenerative spinal canal stenosis and to describe the pattern of this degenerative spinal canal stenosis in south of iraq. Study design: Retrospective and prospective review. Patient sample: A total of 1699 persons (644 females and 1055 males) whom their blood pressure measured. A 326 patients had degenerative spinal canal stenosis and 1373 not had spinal stenosis {599 patients had prolapsed intervertebral disc prolapse operated on(control no.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 persons with 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 canal stenosis, 18.1% of patients with intervertebral disc prolapse (control no.1) and in 17.4% of normal persons(control no.2). Postoperativly, hypertension resolved spontaneously or easily controlled with less number and lower doses of antihypertensive drugs. Conclusion: Systemic hypertension highly prevalent among patients with spinal stenosis and disappear or becomes lower after operative treatment.