A study of MMP-1 and TGF-β levels in lumbar disc herniation patients with and without traditional medical practices

Abstract

Aim: Chronic and recurrent low back pain resulting from lumbar disc disease significantly impacts patients' quality of life and psychological well-being. Patients may seek traditional treatments for pain relief. This study aimed to investigate and evaluate the effect of utilizing or not utilizing traditional medical practices (TMPs) in patients who have undergone surgery for lumbar disc herniation, by examining samples of the disc and ligamentum flavum. Material and Methods: A total of 46 patients, 28 (60.9%) male and 18 (39.1%) female, who underwent surgical treatment for lumbar disc herniation were included in the study. The patients' data were retrieved retrospectively from the patient registry system. Immunohistochemical staining was performed and evaluated on the disk and ligamentum flavum samples removed during the surgical procedure. Results: Of the 46 patients included in the study, 21 (45.6%) had undergone TMPs, while 25 (54.4%) had not. The levels of MMP-1 and TGF-β of patients who underwent TMPs were significantly higher in both flavum (both p<0.001) and disk (p=0.014 and p=0.020, respectively) samples. When analyzing the immunohistochemical staining scores, it was found that MMP-1 staining scores were higher in the flavum (p<0.001) and disk (p=0.002) samples of patients who underwent TMPs. Conclusion: The notion that TMPs are suitable methods for all ailments is a significant misconception. This study emphasizes the importance of accurately informing the public about TMPs, given their increasing prevalence in Turkish society. There is a need for further controlled clinical studies to investigate which method can be used for which disease.