Table 2 Average Pfirrmann scores of different discs in different groups

n

150

148

232

100

142

L1/2

2.85 ± 0.89

2.90 ± 0.77

3.29 ± 0.56^a,b

3.31 ± 0.66^a,b

3.63 ± 0.89^a,c,d

L2/3

2.86 ± 0.78

2.91 ± 0.69

3.33 ± 0.72^a,b

3.34 ± 0.69^a,b

3.69 ± 0.92^a,c,d

L3/4

2.90 ± 0.98

3.02 ± 0.90

3.37 ± 0.76^a,b

3.40 ± 0.71^a,b

3.72 ± 0.93^a,c,d

L4/5

2.91 ± 0.67

3.05 ± 0.70

3.40 ± 0.99^a,b

3.48 ± 0.91^a,b

3.81 ± 0.79^a,c,d

L5/S1

2.94 ± 0.81

3.10 ± 0.66

3.47 ± 0.76^①②

3.49 ± 0.74^①②

3.83 ± 0.86^①③④