. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Mar 15.

Published in final edited form as: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2018 Mar 15;43(6):412–419. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000002352

Table 3.

Risk factors for disc degeneration including endplate damage, by lumbar level

DD graded by Pfirrmann
	L1/L2	L2/L3	L3/L4	L4/L5	L5/S1
TEPS	2.07e-7	4.66e-7	5.26e-13	1.23e-16	1.59e-19
Sex	0.010	0.793	0.704	0.829	0.839
Age	0.656	0.894	0.785	0.805	0.726
BMI	0.698	0.412	0.405	0.331	0.271
DD graded by 4-point grading method
TEPS	≤1e-16	≤1e-16	≤1e-16	≤1e-16	≤1e-16
Sex	0.664	0.658	0.292	0.324	0.046
Age	0.538	0.535	0.723	0.128	0.054
BMI	0.971	0.928	0.822	0.265	0.662

Association was assessed using multivariable models with adjustment for twin pairing.

BMI = body mass index, TEPS = total endplate score