{
  "abstract": "Study DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.ObjectivesTo evaluate the associations between lumbar facet orientation, facet tropism, and degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS), while assessing sex-specific differences in facet morphology.MethodsA PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261417450). PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science were searched through June 2026. Studies evaluating lumbar facet morphology in adults with DLS were included. Random-effects meta-analyses using restricted maximum likelihood estimation and Hartung-Knapp adjustment were performed. Risk of bias and evidence certainty were assessed.ResultsThirty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen studies (3,321 participants) were included in the facet orientation meta-analysis. Patients with DLS demonstrated more sagittally oriented facet joints than controls (SMD 1.30, 95% CI 0.78-1.82; p < 0.0001; I² = 97.2%). Nine studies (1,913 participants) showed greater continuous facet tropism in DLS patients (MD 2.72°, 95% CI 2.07°-3.38°; p < 0.0001; I² = 47.2%). Binary facet tropism was not statistically significant (OR 2.20, 95% CI 0.85-5.66; p = 0.0817). Sex-specific, severity, and instability data were insufficient for quantitative synthesis.ConclusionDLS is associated with more sagittally oriented facet joints and greater continuous facet tropism than controls. Limited sex-specific data and heterogeneity highlight the need for standardized measurement techniques and prospective longitudinal studies to clarify causality and sex-related effects.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA.",
    "Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA.",
    "Department of Neurosurgery, Marcus Neuroscience Institute, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Boca Raton, FL, USA."
  ],
  "article_type": "review article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 11,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Alberto Suarez"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Justin Gumbs"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Michelle Schmidt"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zeena Shather"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hanna Neustadter"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Dominic Lafalce"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Marissa Middleton",
      "orcid": "0009-0004-1253-7582"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jaden Wise",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1479-4599"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Isabella Merem"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Maohua Lin",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9460-2111"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Frank D Vrionis"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8p0me60qm3rdq.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1177/21925682261499356",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13677985",
  "id": "8p0me60qm3rdq",
  "issns": [
    "2192-5682",
    "2192-5690"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42893425",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2734|Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222881556",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13677985?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13677985",
  "pmid": "42893425",
  "published": "2026-10-18",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8p0me60qm3rdq.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:46Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42893425",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42893425"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "journal-openalex:2746|Cervical and Thoracic Myelopathy",
      "subfield": "surgery"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Lumbar Facet Joint Morphology and Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.",
  "title_text": "Lumbar Facet Joint Morphology and Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:46Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8p0me60qm3rdq",
  "venue": "Global spine journal",
  "versions": []
}