Predictive Factors for Late-Onset Neurological Deficits in Patients with Posttuberculous Thoracic Kyphosis

Patients with severe kyphosis caused by tuberculosis can experience neurological problems years after the initial infection is healed. This study aims to identify factors that can predict these late-onset neurological issues. The study analyzed X-rays and MRIs of patients with kyphosis due to old tuberculosis. Researchers measured angles and ratios related to the spine and spinal cord to see if they correlated with neurological deficits. The researchers found that the spinal cord sagittal diameter ratio (SDR) and spinal cord angle (SCA) are significant predictors of late-onset neurological deficits. Higher SDR and smaller SCA values are associated with a greater likelihood of neurological problems.

• 1
  Patients with neurological symptoms had a significantly greater spinal cord sagittal diameter ratio (SDR) and a smaller spinal cord angle (SCA) compared to those without symptoms.
• 2
  Multivariate analysis identified SDR and SCA as independent factors influencing the likelihood of spinal cord injury at both initial and final assessments.
• 3
  A spinal cord sagittal diameter ratio greater than 47% was associated with a greater than tenfold increased likelihood of neurological deficits at first presentation.