Patients With Persistent Low Back Pain and Nerve Root Involvement: To Operate, or Not to Operate, That Is the Question

This study included 390 patients with LHD or LSS referred for surgical evaluation after unsuccessful conservative treatment. Nonsuccess was defined as a Roland-Morris Disability score above 4 (0–23) or a Numeric Rating Scale back and leg pain score above 20 (0–60). Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate potential predictive factors including sociodemographic characteristics, history findings, levels of pain and disability, and magnetic resonance imaging findings. Results. Rates of nonsuccess at 2 years were approximately 30% in surgically treated patients with LHD, approximately about 60% in patients with LSS for disability, and 30% and 40%, respectively for pain. For the main outcome variable, disability, in the final multiple logistic regression model, nonsuccess after surgery was associated with male sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–4.11, P = 0.04), low level of education (OR 2.60, 95% CI: 1.28–5.29, P = 0.01), high pain intensity (OR 3.06, 95% CI: 1.51–6.21, P 
Source: Spine - Category: Orthopaedics Tags: SURGERY Source Type: research