Serum pentosidine concentration is associated with radiographic severity of lumbar spondylosis in a general Japanese population

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the radiographic severity of lumbar spondylosis (LS) and serum bone metabolic markers. A total of 681 individuals volunteered for this study (269 men, 412 women; age: 54.9 ± 14.3; body mass index [BMI]: 23.1 ± 3.3 kg/m²). Lateral lumbar radiographs were evaluated in each intervertebral section (L1/2 to L5/S1) using the Kellgren-Lawrence grade (KL). If at least one intervertebral section was graded as KL 2 or greater, the participants were considered to have LS. The summation of each section of intervertebral section was used as the radiographic severity value of LS. In addition, bone status was evaluated with an osteo-sono assessment index (OSI) at the calcaneus. Serum bone alkaline phosphatase (μg/mL), N-telopeptide of type I collagen (nMBCE/L), and pentosidine (pmol/mL) concentrations were examined and used as the bone metabolism index. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was conducted with the radiographic severity value of LS as the dependent variable and age, sex, BMI, OSI, and the value of serum bone metabolic markers as the independent variables. The total number of LS participants was 470 (69.0 %); the frequency of LS was higher in men (n = 198) than in women (n = 272; P = 0.036, χ ² test). The mean severity value of LS was 7.1 ± 4.4, and the mean value of pentosidine was 120.7 ± 54.8 pmol/mL. On multiple regression analysis, age (B = 0.190, β = 0.611), sex (men = 1, women = 2; B = −0.900, β = −0.099), BMI (B = 0.185, β = 0.136), and pentosidine (B = 0.009, β = 0.115) were significantly correlated with the severity of LS. Serum pentosidine concentration was positively correlated with the radiographic severity of LS in this cross-sectional study.