New evidence on the controversy over the correlation between vertebral osteoporosis and intervertebral disc degeneration: a systematic review of relevant animal studies.

Objective: The effect of vertebral osteoporosis on disc degeneration remains controversial. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant animal studies to shed more light on the effects and mechanisms of vertebral osteoporosis on disc degeneration and to promote the resolution of the controversy.

Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched for studies that met the inclusion criteria.