Table 2.

Associations between CLBP and incident TIA and stroke in general practices in Germany (adjusted Cox regression analyses).

	Incidence in Patients with CLBP *	Incidence in Patients without CLBP *	HR (95% CI)	p-Value
TIA and stroke †
Overall population	6.9	6.1	1.28 (1.22–1.35)	<0.001
Age ≤40 years	1.3	1.4	0.96 (0.76–1.20)	0.687
Age 41–50 years	3.7	3.3	1.24 (1.07–1.43)	0.005
Age 51–60 years	6.0	5.5	1.26 (1.13–1.42)	<0.001
Age 61–70 years	10.9	9.6	1.29 (1.16–1.43)	<0.001
Age >70 years	19.1	16.2	1.34 (1.23–1.45)	<0.001
Female sex	6.3	6.2	1.25 (1.17–1.34)	<0.001
Male sex	7.4	6.0	1.31 (1.22–1.42)	<0.001
By type of TIA and stroke ‡
TIA	2.5	1.9	1.42 (1.30–1.55)	<0.001
Hemorrhagic stroke	0.6	0.6	1.03 (0.87–1.22)	0.746
Ischemic stroke	2.1	1.8	1.32 (1.20–1.45)	<0.001
Unspecified stroke	1.8	1.7	1.16 (1.05–1.28)	0.003
By type of low back pain §
Lumbago with sciatica	7.2	6.5	1.27 (1.18–1.38)	<0.001
Low back pain	6.6	5.8	1.28 (1.20–1.37)	<0.001

Abbreviations: CLBP, chronic low back pain; TIA, transient ischemic attack; HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval. Cox regression analyses were adjusted for chronic physical and psychiatric conditions and drugs documented prior to the end of follow-up. The end of follow-up corresponded to the diagnosis of TIA or stroke or the last medical consultation in the 10 years following the index date. * The incidence was defined as the number of cases per 1,000 person-years. ^† In these analyses conducted in the overall population and age and sex subgroups, TIA and stroke were studied as a single dependent variable. ^‡ In these analyses conducted in the overall population, TIA and stroke were studied as separate dependent variables. ^§ In these analyses conducted in the overall population, lumbago with sciatica and low back pain were studied as separate independent variables.