Table 1.
Patient characteristics (n = 871)
| Variables | N | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Gender (male) * |
871 |
270 (31.0 |
| Age (years) ¥ |
871 |
56 (45; 67 |
| Reason for referral to NRT * |
871 |
|
| Neck Pain (NP) |
|
235 (26.9) |
| Thoracic pain (TP) |
|
60 (6.9) |
| Low Back Pain (LBP) |
|
576 (66.2) |
| Employment status * |
|
|
| Passive (students, housewife, etc.) |
535 |
320 (59.8) |
| Receiving financial compensation for LBP, TP or NP |
|
34 (6.3) |
| Working |
|
215 (40.2) |
| Duration of pain, since first diagnosis (days) ¥ |
763 |
2,555 (730; 4,380) |
| Duration of pain since first diagnosis, categorised * |
763 |
|
| ≤ 1 year |
|
136 (17.8) |
| 1-5 years |
|
219 (28.7) |
| 5-10 years |
|
204 (26.7) |
| >10 years |
|
204 (26.7) |
| Duration of current pain episode (days) ¥ |
809 |
180 (60; 365) |
| Duration of current pain episode (days), categorised * |
809 |
|
| Subacute (≤ 90 days) |
|
309 (38.2) |
| Chronic (>90 days) |
|
500 (61.7) |
| Pregnancy * |
|
2 (0.3) |
| Other comorbidities * |
601 |
677 (84.4) |
| Involved in work-related claims * |
802 |
14 (3.3) |
| Involved in litigation * |
427 |
8 (1.9) |
| Baseline severity of local pain (NP, TP or LBP) (VAS score) ¥ |
426 |
7.0 (6.0: 9.0) |
| 870 |
660 (75.8) |
|
| Reporting referred pain at baseline* |
871 |
6.0 (2.0; 8.0) |
| Baseline severity of referred pain (VAS score) ¥♦ |
660 |
13 (9.0; 17.0) |
| Baseline lumbar disability (RMQ score) ¥♦ |
574 |
40 (30.0; 50.0) |
| Baseline neck disability (NDI score) ¥♦ |
229 |
|
| Diagnostic procedures undergone during the current pain episode, before being referred for NRT* |
|
69 (7.9) |
| X-Ray |
871 |
98 (11.2) |
| MRI |
871 |
21 (2.4) |
| Other¤ |
871 |
|
| Imaging findings * |
|
698 (80.1) |
| Disc degeneration |
871 |
137 (15.7) |
| Facet joint degeneration |
871 |
68 (7.8) |
| Scoliosis |
871 |
3 (0.3) |
| Difference in leg length |
871 |
14 (1.6) |
| Spondylolisis |
871 |
50 (5.7) |
| Spondylolisthesis |
871 |
87 (9.9) |
| Spinal stenosis |
871 |
229 (26.3) |
| Disc protrusion |
871 |
340 (39.0) |
| Disc herniation (extrusion) |
871 |
419 (48.1) |
| Other findings ∞ |
871 |
30 (3.4) |
| No findings |
871 |
|
| Ongoing treatments when referred for NRT |
|
751 (86.2) |
| Drugs* |
871 |
721 (82.8) |
| Analgesics |
|
712 (81.7) |
| Non-opioid |
|
0 (0.0) |
| Codeine |
|
78 (9.0) |
| Other opioids |
|
568 (65.2) |
| NSAIDs |
|
25 (2.8) |
| Steroids |
|
132 (15.1) |
| Muscle relaxants |
|
164 (18.8) |
| Otherɣ |
|
|
| Non pharmacological treatments* |
871 |
42 (4.9) |
| Physical therapy/Rehabilitation |
|
7 (0.8) |
| Had undergone surgery for the current episode, before being referred for NRT* |
NP: Neck Pain TP: Thoracic pain LBP: Low back pain.
VAS: Visual Analogue Scale (range from better to worse; 0–10).
RMQ: Roland-Morris Questionnaire (range from better to worse: 0–24).
NDI: Neck Disability Index (range from better to worse: 0–100).
NRT: Neuro-reflexotherapy intervention.
*Frequency (%); ¥ Median (P25; P75);
¤Other diagnostic procedures: EMG, CT scan, scintigraphy.
∞Other imaging findings: annular tear, loss of cervical lordosis, loss of thoracic cifosis, loss of lumbar lordosis, horizontalization of the sacrum, lumbarization of S1, sacralization of L5.
♦ In patients in whom the variables “referred pain”, “RMQ” and “NDI” were applicable (660 patients who reported having referred pain, 235 who were referred for neck pain and 576 who were referred for low back pain, respectively).
ɣ Other drugs: anti-epileptics or antidepressants prescribed for treating pain.