Table 1.
Summary of Results.
| Variables | Values | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poor Responders (n = 85) | Good Responders (n = 133) | p-Value | ||
| Pain at initial visit (NRS) | 7.51 ± 1.297 | 7.91 ± 1.048 | 0.003 | |
| Demographic | ||||
| Sex | Male | 38 (44.7%) | 58 (43.6%) | 0.874 |
| Female | 47 (55.3%) | 75 (56.4%) | ||
| Age | 60.31 ± 16.35 | 56.31 ± 14.44 | 0.060 | |
| Clinical | ||||
| Diabetes | Yes | 9 (10.6%) | 11 (8.3%) | 0.563 |
| No | 76 (89.4%) | 122 (91.7%) | ||
| Hypertension | Yes | 26 (30.6%) | 33 (24.8%) | 0.349 |
| No | 59 (69.4%) | 100 (75.2%) | ||
| Previous spine surgery | Yes | 13 (15.3%) | 6 (4.5%) | 0.006 |
| No | 72 (84.7%) | 127 (95.5%) | ||
| Trauma or sprain | Yes | 6 (7.1%) | 19 (14.3%) | 0.102 |
| No | 79 (92.9%) | 114 (85.7%) | ||
| Duration of symptoms | weeks | 60.75 ± 79.14 | 16.53 ± 48.01 | 0.000 |
| Chronic | 45 (52.9%) | 17 (12.8%) | 0.000 | |
| Subacute | 15 (17.6%) | 30 (22.6%) | ||
| Acute | 25 (29.4%) | 86 (64.7%) | ||
| Low back or buttock pain | Yes | 50 (58.8%) | 92 (69.2%) | 0.118 |
| No | 35 (41.2%) | 41 (30.8%) | ||
| Neurogenic claudication | Yes | 19 (22.4%) | 15 (11.3%) | 0.028 |
| No | 66 (77.6%) | 118 (88.7%) | ||
| SLR test | Full | 73 (86.9%) | 94 (74.0%) | 0.024 |
| Positive | 11 (13.1%) | 33 (26.0%) | ||
| Motor exam | Normal | 77 (90.6%) | 109 (82.0%) | 0.079 |
| Abnormal | 8 (9.4%) | 24 (18.0%) | ||
| Sensory exam | Normal | 72 (84.7%) | 109 (82.0%) | 0.598 |
| Abnormal | 13 (15.3%) | 24 (18.0%) | ||
| MRI | ||||
| No. of HNP levels | 1 | 14 (18.7%) | 35 (28.7%) | 0.160 |
| 2 | 22 (29.3%) | 39 (32.0%) | ||
| >2 | 39 (52.0%) | 48 (39.3%) | ||
| Root compression or contact | Yes | 58 (77.3%) | 101 (82.8%) | 0.346 |
| No | 17 (22.7%) | 21 (17.2%) | ||
| Foraminal stenosis | Yes | 43 (57.3%) | 79 (64.8%) | 0.298 |
| No | 32 (42.7%) | 43 (35.2%) | ||
| Central canal stenosis | Yes | 34 (45.3%) | 33 (27.0%) | 0.009 |
| No | 41 (54.7%) | 89 (73.0%) | ||
| EDx | ||||
| EDx diagnosis | Normal | 22 (35.5%) | 26 (29.5%) | 0.443 |
| Radiculopathy | 40 (64.5%) | 62 (70.5%) | ||
| PSW/Fib | Yes No |
10 (16.1%) 52 (83.9%) |
32 (36.4%) 56 (63.6%) |
0.007 |
| MUAP change | Yes | 37 (59.7%) | 50 (56.8%) | 0.727 |
| No | 25 (40.3%) | 38 (43.2%) | ||
| No. of levels of TFESI | 2.15 ± 0.60 | 2.04 ± 0.41 | 0.093 | |
Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation or absolute number (percentage). Abbreviations: EDx, electrodiagnosis; HNP, herniated nucleus pulposus; NRS, numerical rating scale; TFESI, transforaminal epidural steroid injection; PSW, positive sharp wave; Fib, fibrillation; MUAP, motor unit action potential.