The Longitudinal Changes of Cervical Sagittal Alignment in a Non-surgical Cohort: A 12-Year Longitudinal Study

Study DesignA retrospective longitudinal observational cohort study.ObjectiveThis study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the natural progression of cervical sagittal alignment parameters in non-surgical patients over a mean 12-year follow-up period, with a specific focus on age- and sex-related variations.MethodsRadiographic data were analyzed from 198 non-surgical patients (mean age: 50.6 years) over a mean follow-up duration of 142 months (range: 96-203 months). Key parameters measured included C2-7 Cobb angle, range of motion (ROM), cervical sagittal vertical axis (SVA), T1 slope, C7 slope, thoracic inlet angle (TIA), and neck tilt. Longitudinal changes were evaluated alongside the influences of age and sex.ResultsThe cohort exhibited significant, age-accelerated progression in cervical sagittal alignment. Overall cervical ROM decreased markedly from 50.10° to 41.14° (P