Table 2.

Baseline and postoperative SF-36 subcomponent scores

SF-36 component	Group; mean ± SD						Overall p value*
	Decompression alone, n = 46			Decompression and fusion, n = 133
	Baseline	Postoperative	p value*	Baseline	Postoperative	p value*
Physical component summary	28.89 ± 7.95	39.02 ± 11.69	< 0.001	29.97 ± 7.00	41.39 ± 10.59	< 0.001	0.39
Mental component summary	42.91 ± 12.69	50.23 ± 10.62	0.004	46.78 ± 11.83	50.94 ± 10.66	0.003	0.06
Physical functioning	24.82 ± 20.64	52.16 ± 30.66	< 0.001	30.43 ± 22.09	60.81 ± 27.26	< 0.001	0.13
Role-physical	13.72 ± 20.35	46.60 ± 35.51	< 0.001	16.71 ± 25.65	54.01 ± 36.26	< 0.001	0.48
Bodily pain	26.15 ± 22.15	57.29 ± 25.16	< 0.001	27.52 ± 14.57	56.38 ± 23.88	< 0.001	0.62
General health	59.87 ± 22.87	61.00 ± 22.99	0.81	66.39 ± 19.55	68.50 ± 19.18	0.37	0.06
Vitality	37.69 ± 19.01	51.69 ± 22.09	0.002	38.36 ± 20.28	56.43 ± 21.14	< 0.001	0.84
Social functioning	44.57 ± 26.57	76.67 ± 23.47	< 0.001	47.92 ± 26.58	75.28 ± 26.58	< 0.001	0.46
Role-emotional	46.37 ± 39.97	70.46 ± 35.73	0.003	56.57 ± 40.98	74.00 ± 34.57	< 0.001	0.15
Mental health	61.13 ± 20.28	73.12 ± 18.07	0.004	68.21 ± 18.29	76.55 ± 34.57	< 0.001	0.06

SD = standard deviation.

^*Two-sample Student t test comparing pre- and postoperative values.