The paleoepidemiology of Sacral Spina Bifida Occulta in population samples from the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt (original) (raw)

Objective: To document sacral spina bifida occulta (SSB0) prevalence in a population sample from the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, and address methodological issues in recording and quantifying SSBO variations. Materials: 442 adult sacra from two temporally disjunct samples from the same deme traversing the 3rd intermediate (TIP) and the Roman Periods. Methods: Sacra were scored for SSBO, excluding the sacral hiatus. Risk of SSBO was calculated with the common odds ratio and statistical significance by X 2. Data were compared to other archaeological SSBO data. Results: SSBO was present in 15.6% of the sample with a slight, but not significant, temporal increase (TIP to Roman Period) in males, and a significant age-correlated increase in both sexes. Most open sacra occurred in young adults. Conclusions: Data support that SSBO can be considered as a morphogenetic variant. Dakhleh data fall within the prevalence range for most populations, however inter-population comparisons are complicated by methodolo-gical inconsistencies. Significance: SSBO can be used in paleogenetic research. Limitations: Methodological differences in scoring SSBO prevent effective comparative study. Suggested future research: Future studies require more rigorous and standardized scoring methods. aDNA may be used to corroborate the morphogenetic value of SSBO and determine its clinical significance.