The Correlations of IL-1β/IL-10 Ratio and Pain Severity Scale with Histopathological Features of Facet Joint Osteoarthritis in Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis Patients

Background: Facet joint osteoarthritis represents the ultimate phase of spinal degenerative disease. Pain can arise from degenerative processes and the presence of inflammatory cytokines in the facet joints. The researchers aimed to investigate the correlation between the IL-1b/IL-10 ratio and pain severity, along with the histopathological characteristics of osteoarthritis in the facet joint of patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis. The objective was to identify the specific IL-1b/IL-10 ratio that significantly contributes to the development of osteoarthritis. Methods: The study employed an analytical cross-sectional design and utilized a successive sampling method to select patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis who matched the specified inclusion criteria. Facet samples were collected to assess the levels of IL-1b and IL-10, the patient's pain intensity, the IL-1b to IL-10 ratio, and the degree of osteoarthritis in the facet joints through histological examination. Results: Thirty-eight patients met the inclusion criteria with an average age of 58 ± 8.93. Average levels of IL-1b 2268.95 ± 862.80 pg/ml, total IL-10 was 1.86 ± 1.68 pg / ml, degree of pain achieved about 5.82 ± 0.56, no OA facet grade 1, 3 samples (7.9%) grade 2, 14 samples (36.8%) degree 3 and a total of 21 samples (55.3%) degree 4. Significant correlation was obtained between the IL-1β/IL-10 ratio, the degree of pain with the histopathological degree of OA of the facet joint with a value of p= 0.02. Conclusions: There is a correlation between the IL-1b/IL-10 ratio and the degree of pain with the histopathological picture of arthritis of the facet joint in patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis. Keywords: Interleukin-10, Zygapophyseal Joint, Osteoarthritis, Pain Measurement, Spinal Stenosis