Changes in essential and trace elements content in degenerating human intervertebral discs do not correspond to patients’ clinical status

Anotace: To date, there has been no paper consider­­ing the disc degeneration process in respect of the content of es­sential and trace elements in degenerat­­ing discs tis­sue, clinical status of patients, and imag­­ing analysis. Concentration of es­sential and trace elements in disc tis­sue may be a consequence of both environmental and genetic factors. The study aims to analyse and assess the contents of essential and trace elements in intervertebral discs. Patients and methods: The material of 19 intervertebral discs was obtained from 17 patients dur­­ing lumbar discectomy. Control was 9 healthy discs obtained from organ donors. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to as­sess levels of Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, Na, Mg, K, Ca, and P in the tis­sue, as well as dry weight (d.w.) of the tis­sue. Results: All 10 es­sential and trace elements were detected in all samples. A significant increase of Ca, Mg, Fe, and P, and decrease of Cu and K in operated discs was found; the remain­­ing changes between unhealthy and healthy discs were not significant. There were no age /  elements, Pfir­rmann grade /  elements, or Modic grade changes /  elements cor­relations. A significant positive cor­relation was found between Mg and Zn, K and Fe, Ca and Zn, Ca and Mg, P and Zn, P and Mg, and P and Ca. A negative cor­relation was only indicated between age and Na. Ca levels were higher in the degenerat­­ing disc group than in the healthy group. Conclusion: A lack of cor­relation between the Ca content and the stage of intervertebral disc degeneration as well as the age of patients in the degenerat­­ing disc group is an unexpected result.