Table 2.

Mean hazard ratios, with their lower to upper 95% CI for all predefined variables and their interaction with early surgery compared to prolonged conservative treatment with possible delayed surgery

Subgroup	Proportion %	Lower	Mean	Upper	P-value interaction
Overall	100	1.72	1.97	2.22
Age
<40 Years	41	1.69	2.50	3.66	0.12
≥40 Years	49	1.21	1.68	2.32
Intellectual job
Non-intellectual	36	1.21	1.88	2.92	0.83
Intellectual	64	1.45	2.00	2.76
Physical demanding work
Non-physical	61	1.29	1.80	2.51	0.61
Physical demanding	39	1.37	2.06	3.1
Sex
Male	66	1.57	2.12	2.87	0.64
Female	34	1.20	1.87	2.92
Start sciatica
Acute severe	61	1.40	1.94	2.68	0.91
Slowly increasing	39	1.27	1.89	2.79
Influence intra-abdominal pressure
Provocation sciatica	73	1.57	2.10	2.81	0.45
No provocation	27	1.06	1.70	2.74
Lasègue’s sign
Straight leg raising >60°	25	1.17	1.92	3.15	0.88
Straight leg raising ≤60°	75	1.50	2.01	2.70
Crossed straight leg raising
Negative	41	1.11	1.61	2.34	0.17
Positive	59	1.64	2.28	3.18
VAS leg pain intensity
>70	54	1.35	1.94	2.79	0.98
≤70	46	1.37	1.93	2.71
Sciatica provocation by sitting
No provocation	24	0.80	1.30	2.2	0.07
Provocation	76	1.70	2.24	2.99
McGill affective scores
Low score <3	49	1.34	2.05	3.00	0.60
High score	51	1.47	1.90	2.46
MRI sequester
Contained disc herniation	59	1.40	1.96	2.74	0.81
Sequester	41	1.23	1.84	2.75
MRI gadolinium
No enhancement	34	1.425	2.32	3.77	0.60
Enhancement	66	1.38	1.97	2.83
MRI level disc herniation
L5S1	61	1.39	1.93	2.67	0.75
L4L5 or L3L4	39	1.19	1.77	2.64
Preference for surgery
Strong preference for surgery	39	1.39	2.07	3.09	0.73
Some or no preference	61	1.38	1.90	2.61
Tingling/numbness pain area
No sensation	10	1.1	2.3	5.1	0.66
Sensation	90	1.5	1.9	2.5