Brain, Vol. 117, No. 2, 325-335, 1994
© 1994 Oxford University Press
research-article |
Epidemiology of cervical radiculopathy
A population-based study from Rochester, Minnesota, 1976 through 1990
1Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation Rochester, Minnesota, USA 2Clinical Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation Rochester, Minnesota, USA 3Biostatistics Sections of the Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation Rochester, Minnesota, USA
Correspondence to:
Leonard T. Kurland, Section of Clinical Epidemiology, Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55095, USA
An epidemiological survey of cervical radiculopathy in Rochester, Minnesota, 1976–90, through the records-linkage system of the Mayo Clinic ascertained 561 patients (332 males and 229 females). Ages ranged from 13 to 91 years; the mean age ±SD was 47.6±13.1 years for males and 48.2±13.8 years for females. A history of physical exertion or trauma preceding the onset of symptoms occurred in only 14.8% of cases. A past history of lumbar radiculopathy was present in 41%. The median duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis was 15 days. A monoradiculopathy involving C7 nerve root was the most frequent, followed by C6. A confirmed disc protrusion was responsible for cervical radiculopathy in 21.9% of patients; 68.4% were related to spondylosis, disc or both. During the median duration of follow-up of 4.9 years, recurrence of the condition occurred in 31.7%, and 26% underwent surgery for cervical radiculopathy. A combination of radicular pain and sensory deficit, and objective muscle weakness were predictors of a decision to operate. At last follow-up 90% of our population-based patients were asymptomatic or only mildly incapacitated due to cervical radiculopathy. The average annual age-adjusted incidence rates per 100 000 population for cervical radiculopathy in Rochester were 83.2 for the total, 107.3 for males and 63.5 for females. The age-specific annual incidence rate per 100 000 population reached a peak of 202.9 for the age group 50–54 years.
cervical; radiculopathy; spondylosis; disc prolapse; epidemiology
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Received August 4, 1993. Revised December 16, 1993. Accepted December 12, 1993.
*Present address: Department of Neurology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram 095011,India
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