Table 1. Baseline Demographic Characteristics for Included and Excluded Patients.
(Other comorbidities include: stroke, cancer, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol/drug dependency, lung, liver, kidney, blood vessel, nervous system, migraine, anxiety)
| Included in Analysis (n=244) | Not Included in Analysis (n=53) | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 66.5 (10.4) | 63.5 (10.0) | 0.06 |
| Sex (female) | 97 (40%) | 19 (36%) | 0.71 |
| Body Mass Index | 29.3 (5.8) | 29.2 (5.9) | 0.91 |
| Race (white) | 214 (88%) | 40 (75%) | 0.04 |
| Education (at least some college) | 155 (64%) | 32 (60%) | 0.78 |
| Marital Status (married) | 169 (69%) | 40 (75%) | 0.46 |
| Work Status | |||
| Full or part-time | 79 (32%) | 16 (30%) | 0.87 |
| Retired | 123 (50%) | 24 (45%) | 0.54 |
| Other | 42 (17%) | 13 (25%) | 0.24 |
| Compensation (receiving any) | 17 (7%) | 5 (9%) | 0.74 |
| Current Smoker (yes) | 23 (9%) | 5 (9%) | 0.80 |
| Co-Morbidities | |||
| Hypertension | 109 (45%) | 24 (45%) | 0.94 |
| Diabetes | 39 (16%) | 9 (17%) | 0.98 |
| Osteoporosis | 30 (12%) | 3 (6%) | 0.25 |
| Heart Problem | 68 (28%) | 11 (21%) | 0.34 |
| Stomach Problem | 54 (22%) | 17 (32%) | 0.17 |
| Depression | 25 (10%) | 6 (11%) | 0.99 |
| Other‡ | 85 (35%) | 20 (38%) | 0.09 |
| Treatment Prior to Enrollment | |||
| Physical Therapy (yes) | 174 (71%) | 33 (62%) | 0.26 |
| Injection (yes) | 130 (53%) | 27 (51%) | 0.88 |
| Symptom Duration (> 6 months) | 127 (52%) | 35 (66%) | 0.09 |
| SF-36 – Bodily Pain | 39.0 (20.7) | 37.6 (21.6) | 0.66 |
| SF-36 – Physical Functioning | 39.9 (25.3) | 37.7 (21.6) | 0.57 |
| Oswestry Disability Index | 37.8 (18.6) | 39.2 (17.3) | 0.63 |
| Stenosis Bothersomeness Index | 13.2 (5.6) | 14.1 (6.0) | 0.31 |
| Back Pain Bothersomeness | 3.9 (1.7) | 4.0 (1.9) | 0.70 |
| Leg Pain Bothersomeness | 4.1 (1.7) | 4.4 (1.4) | 0.15 |
| Treatment Preference | |||
| Non-Surgical | 151 (62%) | 31 (58%) | 0.64 |
| Surgical | 38 (16%) | 10 (19%) | 0.54 |
| Not Sure | 54 (22%) | 12 (23%) | 0.99 |
| Radiating Symptoms Present | 193 (79%) | 44 (83%) | 0.65 |
| Pseudoclaudication Present | 197 (81%) | 42 (79%) | 0.95 |
| Any Neurological Deficit (reflex, sensory or motor) | 150 (61%) | 29 (55%) | 0.45 |
| Stenosis Levels | |||
| L2 – L3 | 66 (27%) | 12 (23%) | 0.63 |
| L3 – L4 | 164 (67%) | 33 (62%) | 0.60 |
| L4 – L5 | 226 (93%) | 47 (89%) | 0.50 |
| L5 – S1 | 72 (30%) | 17 (32%) | 0.84 |
| Stenosis Levels (mod/severe) | |||
| None | 8 (3%) | 2 (4%) | 0.39 |
| One | 85 (35%) | 21 (40%) | 0.86 |
| Two | 105 (41%) | 18 (34%) | 0.53 |
| Three or more | 46 (19%) | 12 (23%) | 0.57 |
| Stenosis Locations | |||
| Central | 210 (86%) | 49 (92%) | 0.30 |
| Lateral Recess | 187 (77%) | 38 (72%) | 0.56 |
| Neuroforamen | 88 (36%) | 16 (30%) | 0.51 |
| Stenosis Severity | |||
| Mild | 8 (3%) | 2 (3%) | 0.39 |
| Moderate | 112 (46%) | 29 (55%) | 0.29 |
| Severe | 124 (51%) | 22 (42%) | 0.23 |