Table 2.

Comparison between surgical and conservative treatment groups

Variable	Surgical group (n = 27)	Conservative group (n = 12)	P value
Age, years	71 (68.5–72.5)	77 (70.5–80.5)	0.077
Male sex	9 (33.3%)	6 (50.0%)	0.478
Referral cases	25 (92.6%)	11 (91.7%)	1.000
Diabetes mellitus	2 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1.000
Hypertension	10 (37.0%)	4 (33.3%)	1.000
Coronary artery disease	1 (3.7%)	2 (16.7%)	0.219
Chronic kidney disease	1 (3.7%)	1 (8.3%)	0.526
Steroid or immunosuppressive use	2 (7.4%)	2 (16.7%)	0.573
Serum albumin, g/L	32.5 (31.9–36.5)	34.3 (32–37.2)	0.643
WBC, ×10⁹/L	6.2 (4.6–7.9)	6.0 (4.4–8.2)	0.867
CRP, mg/L	15 (11.4–58.0)	26.8 (16.5–43.0)	0.403
ESR, mm/h	44 (24.5–74)	66 (28.8–84.5)	0.369
Fever	12 (44.4%)	8 (66.7%)	0.301
Back pain	27 (100.0%)	12 (100.0%)	1.000
Preoperative neurological impairment (ASIA grade D)	7 (25.9%)	3 (25.0%)	1.000
Spinal tuberculosis	6 (22.2%)	2 (16.7%)	1.000
Preoperative ODI score	40 (22.5–57.5)	35 (28.8–40)	0.375
Final ODI score	9 (6.5–14)	27.5 (18.2–35)	< 0.001
Mortality	2 (7.4%)	1 (8.3%)	1.000

Values are presented as median (interquartile range) or n (%). Continuous variables were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. Categorical variables were compared using Fisher’s exact test. P values are provided for descriptive comparison only