Table 1.
Occurrence of Modic changes by potential risk factors (N = 108)
| Variable | No Modic changes | Modic changes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any | Type II | |||||
| N | % | N | % | N | % | |
| Occupation | ||||||
| Machine driver | 15 | 53.6 | 13 | 46.4 | 11 | 38.3 |
| Construction carpenter | 20 | 55.6 | 16 | 44.4 | 14 | 38.9 |
| Office worker | 28 | 63.6 | 16 | 36.4 | 14 | 31.8 |
| Body mass index (BMI) | ||||||
| BMI < 25 kg/m2 | 39 | 69.6 | 17 | 30.4 | 14 | 25.0 |
| BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 | 24 | 46.2* | 28 | 53.8* | 25 | 48.1 |
| History of accidental back injuries | ||||||
| No injuries | 47 | 63.5 | 27 | 36.5 | 23 | 31.1 |
| One or more injuries | 16 | 47.1 | 18 | 52.9 | 16 | 47.1 |
| Smoking status | ||||||
| Non-smoker | 18 | 50.0 | 18 | 50.0 | 14 | 38.9 |
| Ex- or current smoker | 43 | 61.4 | 27 | 38.6 | 25 | 35.7 |
| History of physical exercisea | ||||||
| Less than twice/week | 18 | 52.9 | 16 | 47.1 | 15 | 44.1 |
| Intermediate | 31 | 63.3 | 18 | 36.7 | 15 | 30.6 |
| 2 or more times/week | 14 | 56.0 | 11 | 44.0 | 9 | 36.0 |
| History of car driving | ||||||
| ≤15,000 km/year | 42 | 57.5 | 31 | 42.5 | 27 | 37.0 |
| >15,000 km/year | 19 | 59.4 | 13 | 40.8 | 11 | 34.4 |
* p = 0.02
aHistory of physical exercise was classified as less than twice per week at all time points (7 and 4 years earlier and currently), intermediate, and two or more times per week at all time points