Spinal pain is prospectively associated with cardiovascular risk factors in girls but not boys (CHAMPS study-DK)

Eur Spine J. 2019 Nov;28(11):2452-2461. doi: 10.1007/s00586-019-06034-w. Epub 2019 Jun 19.

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the prospective associations between spinal pain exposures and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in children and explore the mediating role of health-related physical activity.

Methods: Students were recruited from ten public primary schools. Each week from November 2008 to October 2010, parents reported spinal pain occurrences in their children via text messaging. Clustered cardiovascular risk was estimated with a composite score comprising fasting serum triglycerides, homeostasis assessment model-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), total to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, and systolic blood pressure. Additional outcomes were fasting serum insulin and glucose concentrations and body mass index categories. Associations were explored with multilevel mixed regression models and reported with beta coefficients (β) and percent difference scores. All models were adjusted for potential confounders.

Results: Data from 1022 children (53% female) with mean ± SD age of 8.4 ± 1.4 years were included. Girls with spinal pain had greater clustered cardiovascular risk (β [95% CI]; percent difference [95% CI] = .41 [.02-.80]; 3.3% [.2-6.4%]) than those without spinal pain. Similar outcomes were observed for log insulin (percent difference [95% CI] = 3.4% [.6-6.2%]) and log HOMA-IR = (percent difference [95% CI] = 3.8% [.4-7.3%]). Remaining associations between spinal pain and cardiovascular risk in girls were nonsignificant. There were no associations between spinal pain and cardiovascular risk in boys. Moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity did not appear to mediate this relationship.

Conclusion: These findings suggest a potentially important link between spinal pain and cardiovascular risk in girls that may be independent of health-related physical activity. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.

Keywords: Back pain; Cardiovascular system; Neck pain; Pediatric; Risk factors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Back Pain / epidemiology*
  • Blood Glucose / analysis*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Child
  • Denmark / epidemiology
  • Exercise*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Insulin / blood*
  • Male
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Factors

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Insulin