Table 1.
Patient baseline demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and health status measures according to study cohort and treatment received
| IDH | Combined cohorts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPORT study cohorts | Treatment received | |||||
| Randomized cohort (n = 474) | Observational cohort (n = 721) | p value | Surgery (n = 803) | Nonoperative (n = 392) | p value | |
| Mean age (years; SD) | 42.3 (11.6) | 41.4 (11.2) | 0.18 | 40.7 (10.8) | 43.8 (12.3) | < 0.001 |
| Female | 194 (41%) | 313 (43%) | 0.43 | 346 (43%) | 161 (41%) | 0.55 |
| Race, white | 401 (85%) | 635 (88%) | 0.10 | 707 (88%) | 329 (84%) | 0.061 |
| Work status | 0.71 | 0.007 | ||||
| Full- or part-time | 292 (62%) | 433 (60%) | 467 (58%) | 258 (66%) | ||
| Disabled | 58 (12%) | 100 (14%) | 122 (15%) | 36 (9%) | ||
| Other | 124 (26%) | 187 (26%) | 213 (27%) | 98 (25%) | ||
| Smoker | 108 (23%) | 175 (24%) | 0.60 | 201 (25%) | 82 (21%) | 0.13 |
| Comorbidities | ||||||
| Depression | 62 (13%) | 79 (11%) | 0.31 | 94 (12%) | 47 (12%) | 0.96 |
| Joint Problem | 98 (21%) | 124 (17%) | 0.15 | 130 (16%) | 92 (23%) | 0.003 |
| Other | 221 (47%) | 305 (42%) | 0.16 | 334 (42%) | 192 (49%) | 0.019 |
| Bodily pain score | 28.3 (19.9) | 26.4 (20.3) | 0.13 | 23.4 (18) | 34.8 (22.1) | < 0.001 |
| Physical functioning score | 39.5 (25.3) | 36.7 (25.7) | 0.066 | 32.6 (23.5) | 48.4 (26.4) | < 0.001 |
| Mental Component Summary score | 45.9 (12) | 44.7 (11.2) | 0.081 | 44.7 (11.4) | 46.2 (11.8) | 0.035 |
| Oswestry Disability Index | 46.9 (20.9) | 51.1 (21.4) | < 0.001 | 54.7 (19.6) | 38.6 (20.5) | < 0.001 |
| Sciatica Frequency Index (0–24) | 15.6 (5.5) | 16.1 (5.3) | 0.19 | 16.7 (5.1) | 14.2 (5.6) | < 0.001 |
| Sciatica Bothersome Index (0–24) | 15.2 (5.2) | 15.8 (5.3) | 0.057 | 16.4 (4.9) | 13.8 (5.6) | < 0.001 |
| Symptom satisfaction, very dissatisfied | 371 (78%) | 585 (81%) | 0.25 | 705 (88%) | 251 (64%) | < 0.001 |
| Problem getting better or worse | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | ||||
| Getting better | 90 (19%) | 89 (12%) | 66 (8%) | 113 (29%) | ||
| Staying about the same | 221 (47%) | 315 (44%) | 348 (43%) | 188 (48%) | ||
| Getting worse | 162 (34%) | 311 (43%) | 383 (48%) | 90 (23%) | ||
| Treatment preference | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | ||||
| Preference for nonsurgery | 193 (41%) | 202 (28%) | 130 (16%) | 265 (68%) | ||
| Not sure | 154 (32%) | 43 (6%) | 114 (14%) | 83 (21%) | ||
| Preference for surgery | 127 (27%) | 473 (66%) | 556 (69%) | 44 (11%) | ||
SPORT = Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial; IDH = intervertebral disc herniation.