Table 1.
Data of patients included in the study (n = 648).
| Data | Number (%) | Mean (SD) or median (25th–75th range) |
| Sex | ||
| Female | 338 (52.2) | |
| Male | 310 (47.8) | |
| Age, mean (SD) | 46.45 (15.5) | |
| Education level | ||
| No studies | 14 (2.1) | |
| Did not finish basic studies | 153 (23.6) | |
| Basic studies | 205 (31.6) | |
| Medium-level studies | 162 (25.0) | |
| Higher level studies | 97 (15.0) | |
| Missing | 17 (2.6) | |
| Living conditions | ||
| Living alone | 57 (8.8) | |
| Living with someone | 500 (77.2) | |
| Institutionalized | 5 (0.8) | |
| Missing | 86 (13.2) | |
| Severity of low back pain (VAS); mean (SD) | 5.89 (2.2) | |
| Leg pain | ||
| Yes | 383 (59.1) | |
| Severity of leg pain (VAS); median (range) | 4.3 (2.6–6.7) | |
| Disability (Roland Morris Questionnaire); mean (SD) | 11.30 (5.5) | |
| Quality of life (EuroQol); mean (SD) | 0.49 (0.2) | |
| Previous episodes of low back pain | ||
| None | 209 (33.5) | |
| 1 or 2 | 180 (28.8) | |
| 3 or more | 235 (37.7) | |
| Duration of current episode (days); median (IQR) | 4 (2–10) | |
| Chronicity | ||
| Acute | 500 (77.2) | |
| Subacute | 118 (18.2) | |
| Chronic | 28 (4.3) | |
| Patients visiting the recruiting physician for the first time | 393 (60.6) | |
| Patients visiting the recruiting physician at follow-up | 255 (39.4) | |
| Diagnostic tests | 112 (17.3) | |
| X-rays on the first visit | 101 (15.6) | |
| CT scan on the first visit | 14 (2.2) | |
| MRI on the first visit | 16 (2.5) | |
| Neurophysiological tests on first visit | 9 (1.4) | |
| Visits to emergency room | 64 (9.9) | |
| Working status: | ||
| Housewife, retired, other | 281 (43.4) | |
| Workers | 367 (56.6) | |
| Self-employed | 58 (8.9) | |
| Employed by others | 309 (47.7) | |
| Being on sick leave | 158 (24.4)* | |
| SLR test | ||
| Not done | 243 (37.5) | |
| < 30 | 88 (13.6) | |
| 30–60 | 119 (18.4) | |
| > 60 | 198 (30.6) | |
| Prescription of medication† | 594 (91.7) | |
| NSAIDs | 370 (57.1) | |
| Analgesics | 212 (32.7) | |
| Muscle relaxants | 97 (15) | |
| Corticoids | 21 (3.2) | |
| Gastric protectors | 14 (2.2) | |
| Anxiolitics | 30 (4.6) | |
| Referrals | 62 (9.6) | |
| Orhopedic surgery | 34 (54.8) | |
| Rehabilitation | 17 (27.4) | |
| Neurosurgery | 5 (8.1) | |
| Other | 11 (17.7) |
*Sick leave was only possible to check among the 367 workers included in the study. The 158 subjects on sick leave represent 43.07% of them.
†Percentage of individuals using each kind of medication treatment among those using medication treatment.