Obesity Limits Utility of Vertebral Bone Quality Score for Opportunistic Osteopenia/Osteoporosis Screening in Cervical Surgery Patients.

ABSTRACT:

Study design

Comparative study.

Objective

The vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score is a validated opportunistic screening tool for bone mineral density (BMD). Obesity, often associated with hyperlipidemia and fat infiltration, may result in lower VBQ-derived BMD. However, studies have shown that dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived BMD tends to increase in obesity. Given this paradox, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of obesity on the utility of VBQ in opportunistic osteopenia/osteoporosis screening.

Methods

A total of 310 consecutive patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy were included. Body mass index (BMI) classified patients into underweight/normal, overweight, and obesity groups. Pearson's correlation assessed the associations of B

SUBMITTER: Shi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11873305 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature