Schmorl's nodes in a historic adult skeletal sample (19th to 20th centuries): An analysis of age, sex and occupation

Objective

This study explores the interplay between age-at-death, sex and occupation and the presence, location and severity of Schmorl’s nodes.

Materials

Vertebral columns of 327 individuals, 180 (55.1%) males and 147 (44.9%) females, with age-at-death between 20 and 65 years old, with known occupation.

Methods

Schmorl’s nodes were recorded as present/absent and by location and severity.

Results

In this sample, 58.7% (192/327) of individuals were affected by Schmorl’s nodes, 75.6% (136/180) were males and 38.1% (56/147) were females, with statistically significant differences (p=0.000). Schmorl’s nodes were most commonly found on the T7-L2 (77.1% of all Schmorl’s nodes) vertebrae and at the center (73.4%) of the vertebral body surface. Age and occupational categories did not correlate with prevalence, quantity or severity.

Conclusions

Males appear more prone to develop Schmorl's nodes than females. In this study, the prevalence of Schmorl’s nodes does not increase with age, nor with the type of occupation held by males.

Significance

This study rejects the purported associations between prevalence of Schmorl’s nodes and age and physical stress.

Limitations

It is unknown whether individuals had the same occupation throughout their lives or for how long they performed it. Additionally, it is impossible to access when the individual developed the Schmorl’s node.

Suggestions for further research

Evaluate the onset of Schmorl’s nodes in individuals under 20 and explore possible links between vertebral morphology and the occurrence of Schmorl’s nodes.