Role of paraspinal muscle degeneration in the occurrence and recurrence of osteoporotic vertebral fracture: A meta-analysis.

Purpose:Recently, the effects of paraspinal muscle degeneration on osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs) have attracted the attention of researchers; however, studies are limited, and their results vary. Hence, this study aimed to determine the role of paraspinal muscle degeneration in the occurrence and recurrence of OVF. Methods:Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guideline, the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Wanfang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were comprehensively searched for relevant studies. Studies comparing the cross-sectional area (CSA) or fatty infiltration (FI) of the paraspinal muscles (including the psoas (PS), erector spinae plus multifidus (ES+MF), quadratus lumborum) in patients with and without initial OVF, or with and without recurrent OVF were included and analyzed. Results:Eleven studies were included in the meta-analysis. Seven studies investigated the effects of paraspinal muscles on initial OVF, and the overall results revealed significantly lower CSA ES+MFPSES+MFConclusions:Paraspinal muscle degeneration plays a role in the occurrence and recurrence of OVF. Assessing the paraspinal muscles may be useful for identifying high-risk populations. Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier (CRD42021276681).