Anterior direct decompression significantly relieves spinal cord high signal in patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament: a case-control study

Table 1 Differences in demographic, imaging parameters, and clinical symptoms in patients with anterior and posterior approach

	Anterior approach	Posterior approach	P-Values
Demographic data
Sex (male/female)	10/12	6/17	0.175
Age	58.59 ± 5.68	61.43 ± 9.04	0.215
Hypertension	14/8	14/9	0.848
Diabetes	16/6	19/4	0.425
BMI	25.58 ± 4.72	26.95 ± 4.58	0.331
Smoking history	19/3	16/7	0.175
Preoperative measured imaging parameters
Preoperative SCR	1.615 ± 0.369	1.668 ± 0.356	0.623
CR1	0.106 ± 0.125	0.011 ± 0.246	0.08
CNR	0.33 ± 0.073	0.368 ± 0.096	0.15
C2–7 Cobb angle	8.977 ± 10.818	13.862 ± 13.191	0.182
SVA	15.212 ± 8.024	17.46 ± 8.91	0.38
mK-line INT	3.694 ± 3.291	4.527 ± 2.227	0.323
Imaging follow-up
6 months postoperative SCR	1.45 ± 0.44	1.63 ± 0.397	0.149
2 years postoperative SCR	1.26 ± 0.19	1.65 ± 0.35	0.000**
CR2	0.219 ± 0.14	− 0.012 ± 0.237	0.000**
Clinical symptoms
Preoperative JOAs	10.64 ± 1.59	10.83 ± 1.47	0.679
6 months postoperative JOAs	11.82 ± 1.37	11.65 ± 1.4	0.69
2 years postoperative JOAs	14.18 ± 1.01	12.52 ± 2.06	0.001**
Recovery1	0.181 ± 0.109	0.128 ± 0.154	0.189
Recovery2	0.536 ± 0.178	0.278 ± 0.307	0.001**

^*, statistical significance (p < 0.05). **, statistical significance (p < 0.01)
BMI = body mass index. SCR = the signal change ratio between the localized high signal and normal spinal cord signal at the C7-T1 levels. CR1 = the regression of high cord signals at 6 months postoperatively (i.e., CR1 = (Preoperative SCR—SCR at 6 months postoperatively)/ Preoperative SCR). CR2 = the regression of high cord signal at 2 years postoperatively (i.e., CR2 = (Preoperative SCR—SCR at 2 years postoperatively)/ Preoperative SCR). CNR = canal narrowing ratio. SVA = sagittal vertical axis. mK-line INT = modified K-line interval. JOAs = Japanese Orthopedic Association score. Recovery1 = degree of JOAs recovery at 6 months postoperatively (i.e., Recover1 = (JOAs at 6 months postoperatively—Preoperative JOAs)/ (17- Preoperative JOAs)). Recovery2 = degree of JOAs recovery at 2 years postoperatively (i.e., Recover2 = (JOAs at 2 years postoperatively−Preoperative JOAs)/ (17−Preoperative JOAs))

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