Table 2.
Baseline characteristics – comparison between groups of age and characteristics of total sample from Brazilian BACE (n = 602).
| Variable | 55–74 years (n = 498) n (%) |
>75 years (n = 104) n (%) |
Total (n = 602) n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients characteristics | |||
| Male | 75 (15.1) | 16 (15.4) | 91 (15.1) |
| Body mass index (mean, SD) | 29.2 (5.2) | 27.8 (4.7) | 29.0 (5.2) |
| Educational levels: | |||
| 4 years or less of education | 199 (40) | 61 (58.7) | 260 (43.3)** |
| 4 years up to completion of middle school | 212 (42.7) | 37 (35.6) | 249 (41.4) |
| Graduation or post graduation | 86 (17.3) | 6 (5.8) | 92 (15.3)** |
| Low income | 187 (38.3) | 52 (50.0) | 239 (40.4)* |
| Marital status – married or with a partner | 235 (47.3) | 35 (33.7) | 270 (44.9)* |
| Paid job | 106 (21.5) | 4 (3.8) | 110 (18.4)** |
| Smoking habits | 172 (34.5) | 24 (23.1) | 196(32.6)* |
| Good overall quality of sleep | 297 (59.8) | 68 (66.7) | 365 (60.9) |
| Hazardous drinking behavior | 63 (12.7) | 11 (10.7) | 74 (12.4) |
| Number of comorbidities (mean, SD) | 4.6 (2.4) | 4.3 (2.3) | 4.5 (2.4) |
| Recent history of falls | 98 (19.8) | 19 (18.6) | 117 (19.6) |
| Community dwellers | 494 (99.4) | 103 (99.0) | 597 (99.3) |
| Quality of life – physical function (SF 36) (mean, SD) | 41.1 (8.1) | 44.1 (7.8) | 41.7 (8.1) ** |
| Quality of life – mental function (SF 36) (mean, SD) | 42.1 (13.9) | 43.4 (12.2) | 42.3 (13.6) |
| Pain complaints | |||
| Severity of low back pain in the past week (mean, SD) | 7.3 (2.5) | 6.8 (2.8) | 7.2 (2.6) |
| Presence of leg pain in the past week | 325 (65.5) | 58 (55.8) | 383 (63.8) |
| Severity of leg pain in the past week (mean, SD) | 6.8 (2.7) | 6.7 (2.9) | 6.8 (2.8) |
| Number of pain sites (mean, SD) | 5.7 (4.6) | 4.7 (4.1) | 5.5 (4.5)* |
| Presence of morning stiffness | 331 (66.9) | 58 (55.8) | 389 (64.9)* |
| LBP disability – RMDQ – Br (mean, SD) | 14.0 (5.7) | 12.7 (6.2) | 13.7 (5.8)* |
| Stiffness levels – WOMAC (mean, SD) | 3.0 (2.3) | 2.4 (2.2) | 2.9 (2.3)* |
| Trigger for low back pain – trauma or mechanical cause | 341 (76.5) | 64 (68.8) | 405 (75.1) |
| First episode of low back pain | 98 (19.7) | 18 (17.5) | 116 (19.3) |
| Low back pain surgery in the past | 22 (4.2) | 4 (3.9) | 24 (4.2) |
| Use of medication for low back pain | 375 (75.3) | 71 (68.3) | 446 (74.1) |
| Awake in the night due to pain | 253 (51.3) | 38 (37.6) | 291 (49)* |
| Altered quality of sleep due to LBP | 329 (66.2) | 52 (50) | 381 (63.4)** |
| Presence of constant pain | 288 (58.1) | 45 (44.6) | 333 (55.8)* |
| Psychological factors | |||
| Self-efficacy for falls (FESI) (mean, SD) | 32.1 (9.6) | 29.8 (8.6) | 31.7 (9.5)* |
| Depressive Symptoms (CESD) (mean, SD) | 18.5 (11.9) | 18.7 (12.0) | 18.5 (11.9) |
| Kinesiophobia (FABQ – Physical Activity Component) (mean, SD) | 15.75 (6.2) | 15.9 (7.0) | 15.8 (6.3) |
| Pain catastrophizing (PCS) (mean, SD) | 22.3 (13.7) | 19.7 (13.7) | 21.9 (13.7) |
| Back Beliefs Questionnaire (BBQ) (mean, SD) | 23.8 (6.6) | 23.4 (7.1) | 23.7 (6.7) |
| Physical function | |||
| Trunk mobility (Finger – Floor Distance) (mean, SD) | 17.6 (13.0) | 14.7 (12.9) | 17.1 (13.0)* |
| Gait speed (m/s) (mean, SD) | 1.0 (0.4) | 0.9 (0.2) | 1.0 (0.3)** |
| Timed Up and Go Test (mean, SD) | 11.2 (4.1) | 12.6 (4.4) | 11.4 (4.2) |
| Hand Grip Strength (mean, SD) | 23.2 (7.7) | 22.3 (6.7) | 23.1 (7.6) |
AUDIT-C, alcohol use disorders identification test; BBQ, Back Beliefs Questionnaire; CES-D, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; FABQ_A, Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire; FESI, Falls Efficacy Scale International; NRS, Numeric Rating Scale; PCS, Pain Catastrophization Scale; PSQI, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index; RMDQ-Br, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire – Brasil; SCQ, Self-administered Comorbidity Questionnaire; SF 36, Short Form (36) Health Survey.
*
p < 0.05.
**
p < 0.01.