Table 3.
Associations of MRI abnormalities with characteristics of low back pain
| MRI abnormality |
Sudden onset of current LBP episode |
Radiation below kneea | Associated with weakness or numbness below kneea |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | ORb | (95% CI) | n | ORb | (95% CI) | n | ORb | (95% CI) | |
| HIZ | |||||||||
| Absent | 52 | 1 | - | 98 | 1 | - | 91 | 1 | - |
| Present | 87 | 0.9 | (0.6,1.5) | 182 | 1.3 | (0.8,2.4) | 166 | 1.2 | (0.7,2.0) |
|
Disc
degeneration |
|||||||||
| Absent | 73 | 1 | - | 147 | 1 | - | 134 | 1 | - |
| Present | 66 | 1.2 | (0.8,1.9) | 133 | 1.6 | (0.9,2.8) | 123 | 1.6 | (1.0,2.7) |
|
Disc
herniation |
|||||||||
| Absent | 47 | 1 | - | 92 | 1 | - | 80 | 1 | - |
| Present | 92 | 0.9 | (0.6,1.5) | 188 | 1.2 | (0.7,2.2) | 177 | 1.6 | (1.0,2.7) |
|
Nerve root
deviation/ compression |
|||||||||
| Absent | 75 | 1 | - | 140 | 1 | - | 130 | 1 | - |
| Present | 64 | 1 | (0.6,1.6) | 140 | 2.5 | (1.4,4.5) | 127 | 1.8 | (1.1,3.1) |
|
Number of
MRI abnormalities |
|||||||||
| 0 | 19 | 1 | - | 34 | 1 | - | 30 | 1 | - |
| 1 | 20 | 0.9 | (0.4,2.3) | 39 | 1.5 | (0.5,4.2) | 35 | 1.3 | (0.5,3.3) |
| 2 | 37 | 0.9 | (0.4,1.9) | 72 | 1.3 | (0.5,2.9) | 68 | 1.3 | (0.6,2.8) |
| 3 | 37 | 1 | (0.5,2.2) | 80 | 2.1 | (0.9,5.0) | 74 | 1.9 | (0.9,4.3) |
| 4 | 26 | 1.2 | (0.5,2.6) | 55 | 3.9 | (1.3,11.6) | 50 | 3.1 | (1.2,8.2) |
a
In past 12 months
b
Odds ratios adjusted for sex and age (in five bands)