Table 2

Characteristics of the cases with symptomatic osteochondrosis or spondylosis of the lumbar spine and control subjects

CharacteristicCases with osteochondrosis or spondylosis and disc herniation (including disc herniations not verified by participating physicians, n=20)Cases solely with osteochondrosis or spondylosisPopulation controls (including controls recruited by random digit dialing)Controls admitted to hospital for treatment of urolithiasis
n%n%n%n%
Age at diagnosis (y):
 ⩽353223.71516.03129.03842.2
 >35–402317.088.51413.11213.3
 >40–452115.688.598.41516.7
 >45–502619.31516.01917.866.7
 >50–551712.61617.02220.61112.2
 >55–6096.72829.8109.366.7
 >6075.244.321.922.2
 Mean age (y)45.548.443.139.7
Educational level:
 Graduated from high school2720.02021.34239.34145.6
 Secondary school level3626.71414.93028.02224.4
 Elementary level, no graduation7253.35861.73532.72628.9
 Unknown22.111.1
Region:
 Frankfurt, districts with ⩾35% blue collar workers75.233.243.7910.0
 Frankfurt , districts with ⩾28–<35% blue collar workers2216.31212.82220.688.9
 Frankfurt, districts with <28% blue collar workers1511.11414.91413.11213.3
 Hanau2518.51718.11110.32123.3
 Offenbach1410.42526.62624.322.2
 Bad Homburg53.733.265.644.4
 Darmstadt2820.733.265.61213.3
 Offenbach county139.61212.81816.81415.6
 Others53.711.188.9
 Unknown10.744.3
Nationality:
 German10577.86771.38478.56268.9
 Other2014.866.41211.22224.4
 Unknown107.42122.31110.366.7
Diseases potentially affecting lumbar discs:
 None6447.44042.68478.57077.8
 Malposition of hip or pelvis, shortness of the leg, etc.1611.955.354.711.1
 Scoliosis of lumbar spine4029.62930.91211.21213.3
 Malposition of hip or pelvis etc, and scoliosis107.41212.821.922.2
 Unknown53.788.543.755.6