ÓRgÃO OfICIAL DA SOCIEDADE PORTUgUESA DE REUMATOLOgIA

Dear Editor, In archaeological studies, paleopathologists frequently focused their studies on detecting degenerative alte rations in the spine as a means to estimate age, to determine differences in sex and racial affinity, and to eva luate physical and pathological conditions. Currently, several studies investigate the degree of incidence of osteophytes, porosities, eburneations and Schmorl’s nodes. However, ostearchaeologists still have a conflicting opinion about considering degenerative altera tions of vertebrae as an ideal indicator of functional activity. Certainly, the genetic predisposition, the here ditary component, the advanced age and the presence of other diseases play a not secondary role in the onset of the disease. Within the paleopathological models, osteoarthritis represents a position of prime importance. This disease has principally two types of deve lopment, proliferative and erosive, but in osteoarchaeo logical research, it is sometimes difficult to diagnose the latter, as post-mortem digenetic factors can simulate this pathology. Instead, the proliferative arthritic development, in which osteogenesis alters the normal profile of the vertebrae, is more recognizable in archaeological contexts. The Schmorl’s nodes are gene rally found in osteoarchaeological rests but the impact of this pathology on the quality of life (pain, mobility, etc.) is poorly understood. The aims of researches on the osteoarchaeological collections are the following: to show the typical degenerative lesions of the spine in osteoarchaeological material; to propose an investigative method for determining the incidence of disease in antiquity and to associate the presence of these diseases with the lifestyle of the past populations. Human remains collected in our laboratory were recovered in Northern Italy archeological sites and they are dated back to the period spanning from the 7th to 16th century. We noted a considerable number of vertebrae of subjects aged over 40, which showed degenerative alterations, in particular osteophytes and Schmorl’s nodes. The distinctions between the sexes were also analy zed with males showing more severe osteophytic development than female. Osteophytes are much more common in lumbar than in the cervical and thoracic vertebrae. The majority of cases show an initial phase of osteogenic proliferation represented by slight bone at the edges of vertebral bodies. Many subjects between 40 and 50 present an initial stage of Schmorl’s nodes confirmed by the radiological investigations. Our contribution is only the beginning of a research that aims to develop in the future, thanks to new necropolis excavations and to greater availability of osteoarchaeo-