Table 5.
Patient baseline demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and health status measures according to patient follow-up status as of 02/01/2013 when the IDH8yr data were pulled.
| IDH | Patients currently in study | Patients lost to follow-up | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| (n=816) | (n=379) | ||
| Mean Age (SD) | 42.2 (11.2) | 40.7 (11.7) | 0.039 |
| Female | 369 (45%) | 138 (36%) | 0.005 |
| Ethnicity: Not Hispanic | 782 (96%) | 358 (94%) | 0.36 |
| Race – White† | 725 (89%) | 311 (82%) | 0.002 |
| Education - At least some college | 625 (77%) | 262 (69%) | 0.007 |
| Income - Under $50,000 | 367 (45%) | 170 (45%) | 0.98 |
| Marital Status - Married | 595 (73%) | 242 (64%) | 0.002 |
| Work Status | <0.001 | ||
| Full or part time | 536 (66%) | 189 (50%) | |
| Disabled | 73 (9%) | 85 (22%) | |
| Other | 207 (25%) | 104 (27%) | |
| Compensation – Any‡ | 115 (14%) | 93 (25%) | <0.001 |
| Mean Body Mass Index (BMI), (SD)§ | 27.8 (5.6) | 28.3 (5.5) | 0.16 |
| Smoker | 163 (20%) | 120 (32%) | <0.001 |
| Comorbidities | |||
| Depression | 89 (11%) | 52 (14%) | 0.19 |
| Joint Problem | 150 (18%) | 72 (19%) | 0.86 |
| Other¶ | 351 (43%) | 175 (46%) | 0.34 |
| Time since recent episode < 6 months | 645 (79%) | 288 (76%) | 0.27 |
| Bodily Pain (BP) Score|| | 28.1 (20.6) | 25.1 (19) | 0.015 |
| Physical Functioning (PF) Score|| | 38.8 (25.5) | 35.7 (25.5) | 0.052 |
| Mental Component Summary (MCS) Score|| | 46 (11.5) | 43.4 (11.4) | <0.001 |
| Oswestry (ODI)** | 48.4 (21) | 51.7 (21.9) | 0.011 |
| Sciatica Frequency Index (0–24)†† | 15.7 (5.4) | 16.3 (5.5) | 0.089 |
| Sciatica Bothersome Index (0–24)‡‡ | 15.3 (5.2) | 16.1 (5.3) | 0.022 |
| Satisfaction with symptoms - very dissatisfied | 658 (81%) | 298 (79%) | 0.47 |
| Problem getting better or worse | 0.092 | ||
| Getting better | 133 (16%) | 46 (12%) | |
| Staying about the same | 370 (45%) | 166 (44%) | |
| Getting worse | 310 (38%) | 163 (43%) | |
| Treatment preference | 0.57 | ||
| Preference for non-surg | 277 (34%) | 118 (31%) | |
| Not sure | 136 (17%) | 61 (16%) | |
| Preference for surgery | 402 (49%) | 198 (52%) | |
| Pain Radiation | 798 (98%) | 367 (97%) | 0.43 |
| Straight Leg Raise Test - Ipsilateral | 505 (62%) | 246 (65%) | 0.35 |
| Straight Leg Raise Test - Contralateral/Both | 136 (17%) | 53 (14%) | 0.27 |
| Any Neurological Deficit | 630 (77%) | 274 (72%) | 0.077 |
| Reflexes - Asymmetric Depressed | 342 (42%) | 140 (37%) | 0.12 |
| Sensory - Asymmetric Decrease | 425 (52%) | 180 (47%) | 0.16 |
| Motor - Asymmetric Weakness | 347 (43%) | 155 (41%) | 0.64 |
| Herniation Level | 0.43 | ||
| L2–L3 / L3–L4 | 65 (8%) | 23 (6%) | |
| L4–L5 | 314 (38%) | 143 (38%) | |
| L5–S1 | 436 (53%) | 213 (56%) | |
| Herniation Type | 0.61 | ||
| Protruding | 223 (27%) | 99 (26%) | |
| Extruded | 530 (65%) | 256 (68%) | |
| Sequestered | 62 (8%) | 24 (6%) | |
| Posterolateral herniation | 631 (77%) | 290 (77%) | 0.81 |
Race or ethnic group was self-assessed. Whites and blacks could be either Hispanic or non-Hispanic.
This category includes patients who were receiving or had applications pending for workers compensation, Social Security compensation, or other compensation.
The body-mass index is the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.
Other = problems related to stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, fibromyalgia, CFS, PTSD, alcohol, drug dependence, heart, lung, liver, kidney, blood vessel, nervous system, hypertension, migraine, anxiety, stomach or bowel.
The SF-36 scores range from 0 to 100, with higher score indicating less severe symptoms.
The Oswestry Disability Index ranges from 0 to 100, with lower scores indicating less severe symptoms.
The Sciatica Frequency Index ranges from 0 to 24, with lower scores indicating less severe symptoms.
The Sciatica Bothersomeness Index ranges from 0 to 24, with lower scores indicating less severe symptoms.