TABLE 1.
Preoperative clinical findings
| Parameter | No inflammation (N = 41) | Inflammation (N = 76) | Total (N = 117) | Significance (p‐value) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age (years) | 51 ± 14 | 53 ± 10 | 52 ± 11 | 0.373 |
| Women (%) | 13 (31.7%) | 27 (35.5%) | 34% | 0.678 |
| Radicular pain (%) | 36 (87.8%) | 72 (94.7%) | 92% | 0.328 |
| Mean duration of symptoms (days) | 165 ± 42 | 153 ± 40 | 157 ± 58 | 0.131 |
| Smokers (%) | 16 (39%) | 28 (36.8%) | 38% | 0.816 |
| Using of analgesics (%) | 15 (36.6%) | 35 (46.1%) | 43% | 0.323 |
| MCs | 14 (34.1%) | 30 (39.5%) | 38% | 0.570 |
| HIZ | 4 (9.8%) | 9 (11.8%) | 11% | 0.973 |
| Pfirrmann grades (%) | 0.780 | |||
| II | 2 (4.9%) | 5 (6.6%) | 7 (6%) | |
| III | 18 (43.9%) | 37 (48.7%) | 45 (47%) | |
| IV | 21 (51.2%) | 34 (44.7%) | 55 (47%) | |
| Responsible segments (%) | ||||
| L3–L4 | 2 (4.9%) | 4 (5.3%) | 6 (5.1%) | 0.285 |
| L4–L5 | 24 (58.4%) | 50 (65.8%) | 74 (63.2%) | |
| L5–S1 | 15 (36.6%) | 22 (28.9%) | 37 (31.7%) | |
| The type of herniated disc (%) | 0.651 | |||
| Protrusion | 6 (14.6%) | 10 (13.2%) | 16 (13.7%) | |
| Extrusion | 23 (56.1%) | 49 (64.5%) | 72 (61.5%) | |
| Sequestration | 12 (29.3%) | 17 (22.4%) | 29 (24.8%) | |
| VAS score (1D PreOP) | 7.2 ± 1.5 | 7.3 ± 1.4 | 7.2 ± 1.2 | 0.720 |
| ODI (1D PreOP) (%) | (56 ± 20)% | (58 ± 18)% | (57 ± 17)% | 0.583 |
Note: Pain assessment was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) preoperatively 1 day before decompressive discectomy (1D PreOP). The low back functional assessment was evaluated using the Oswestry disability index (ODI) preoperatively 1D PreOP.The Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare nonparametric data, and the chi‐squared test was used to evaluate frequency data.
Abbreviations: HIZ, high‐intensity zone; MCs, modic changes.