Table 1.
Prospective studies of prognostic factors for the outcome after lumbar disc surgery.
| Studies | First assessment | Follow-up | Outcome variables | Significant predictorsa | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dauch et al. 1994 [6] | 1 day before surgery n = 109 Age=18–66 (M= 42) Gender = 44% female |
6 months after surgery n=105 (96%) |
Pain, disability, work capacity | Socio-demographic: age Clinical: duration of complaints, other preoperative complaints Work: duration of sick leave |
(a) Use of additional outcome measure. (segmental motor loss) (b) No multivariate statistics |
| Donceel & Du Bois 1999 [7] | 6 weeks after surgery n=177 Age=18–69 (M=39) Gender = 36% female |
1 year after surgery n=175 (98%) |
Work capacity | Socio-demographic: gender, education level Clinical: segmental sensory loss Work: duration of sick leave Psychological: life events |
(a) 1 outcome measure, work capacity (b) Exclusion of self employed workers and patients with age> 65 (c) No pre-operative assessment (d) No multivariate statistics |
| Fulde et al. 1995 [14] | Between admission to hospital and surgery n=52 Age=16–62 (M= 41) Gender = 46% female |
6 months after surgery n=48 (92%) |
Composite score consisting of pain, work capacity and doctor visit | Psychological: coping strategies | (a) Use of only one outcome measure. (composite score) (b) n<50 at follow up |
| Graver et al. 1992 [18] | Before surgery n=122 Age = 18–66 (M= 41) Gender = 46% female |
1 year after surgery n=122 (100%) |
Composite score consisting of pain, disability, clinical examination and medication | Clinical: fibronilytical hyperactivity | Use of only one outcome measure. (composite score) |
| Graver et al. 1995 [19] | Pain, disability, composite score consisting of pain, disability, clinical examination and medication | Psychological: anxiety, somatisation, coping strategies | Use of additional outcome measure: (use of analgesics) | ||
| Graver et al. 1998 [20] | Composite score consisting of pain, disability, clinical examination and medication, work capacity | Socio-demographic: gender, body weight, body length Work: work conditions (physical), duration of sick leave |
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| Graver et al. 1999 [21] | 7 years after surgery n=114 (93%) |
Pain, composite score consisting of pain, disability, clinical examination and medication | Socio-demographic: gender Clinical: fibronilytical hyperactivity, operative findings Psychological: somatisation |
||
| Hurme and Alaranta 1985 [28] | 1–4 weeks before surgery n=220 Age=16–54 (M=39) Gender=46% female |
6 months after surgery n=215 (98%) |
Pain, disability, composite score consisting of pain and work capacity | Socio-demographic: age, body weight, education level, marital status Clinical: preoperative pain and disability, duration of complaints Work: work conditions (physical), work satisfaction Psychological: somatisation |
Exclusion of patients with age>55 |
| Junge et al. 1995 [31] | Between admission to hospital and surgery n=381 Age = 18–69 (M= 45) Gender = 40% female |
1 year after surgery n=328 (86%) |
Composite score consisting of pain, work capacity and doctor visit | Socio-demographic: education level Clinical: preoperative pain and disability, duration of complaints, other complaints, radiological findings Work: work satisfaction, duration of sick leave Psychological: coping strategies |
(a) use of only one outcome measure. (composite score) (b) exclusion of patients with age>55 (c) no multivariate statistics |
| Kjellby et al. 1999 [32] | Before surgery n=50 Age=21–68 (M= 40) Gender = 28% female |
2 years after surgery n=47 (94%) |
Composite score consisting of pain and patient’s opinion | Clinical: preoperative pain Psychological: depression, anxiety |
(a) use of only one outcome measure. (patients opinion) (b) n<50 at follow-up (c) no multivariate analyses |
| Rosenstiel and Gross 1986 [49] | 1 day before surgery n=50 Age=18–66 (M=42) Gender = 44% female |
6 weeks after surgery n=47 (94%) |
Pain, composite score consisting pain and patients opinion | Clinical: operative findings Psychological: coping strategies |
(a) n<50 at follow up (b) use of two additional outcome measures. (sleep disturbance and depression) |
| Schade et al. 1999 [42] | Before surgery n=46 Age=20–50 Gender = 26% female |
2 years after surgery n=42 (91%) |
Pain, disability, work capacity, composite score consisting pain, disability, work and medication | Clinical: preoperative pain and disability, radiological findings Work: work satisfaction Psychological: depression, anxiety, social support |
(a) exclusion of non employed patients and patients with age>50 (b) n<50 at follow up |
| Sorensen et al. 1987 [52] | Before surgery n=57 Age=not described Gender = 49% female |
6 months after surgery n=49 (85%) |
Composite score consisting of pain and patient’s opinion | Socio-demographic: gender Clinical: preoperative pain, duration of complaints Work: duration of sick leave Psychological: depression, anxiety, somatisation |
(a) use of only one outcome measure. (composite score) (b) n<50 at follow up (c) no multivariate analyses |
| Woertgen et al. 1999a [64] | Before surgery n=121 Age=15–70 (M=43) Gender = 30% female |
1 year after surgery n=98 (80%) |
Composite score consisting of pain, disability, work capacity, medical consumption | Socio-demographic: level of education Clinical: straight leg raising |
(a) use of only one outcome measure. (composite score) |
| Woertgen et al 1999b [64] | 28 months after surgery n=98 (80%) |
Clinical: segmental sensor loss, straight leg raising test |
aPredictors are significant for at least one outcome variable of pain, disability, work capacity or composite score.