Table 2.
Patient characteristics and clinical status at baseline*
|
All participants (n=452) |
Missing, n (%) |
Stratified risk profile† | |||
| Low (n=297) |
Medium (n=125) |
High (n=30) |
|||
| Female | 235 (52) | 0 (0) | 137 (46) | 78 (62) | 20 (67) |
| Age in years | 66 (59–72) | 0 (0) | 66 (59–72) | 65 (58–73) | 70 (65–77) |
| Educational level high | 199 (44) | 20 (4) | 140 (47) | 48 (39) | 10 (33) |
| Ethnicity Norwegian | 430 (95) | 0 (0) | 287 (97) | 116 (93) | 27 (90) |
| First healthcare provider | |||||
| General practitioner | 127 (28) | 0 (0) | 51 (17) | 26 (21) | 7 (23) |
| Physiotherapist | 130 (29) | 0 (0) | 107 (36) | 41 (33) | 12 (40) |
| Chiropractor | 195 (43) | 0 (0) | 139 (47) | 58 (46) | 11 (37) |
| Pain location | |||||
| Thoracic | 61 (14) | 11 (2) | 37 (12) | 21 (17) | 3 (10) |
| Lumbar/sacral | 414 (92) | 11 (2) | 273 (92) | 112 (90) | 29 (97) |
| Radiating pain below the knee | 141 (31) | 0 (0) | 66 (22) | 63 (50) | 12 (40) |
| Pain severity average last week (NRS, 0–10) | 5 (4–7) | 31 (7) | 5 (3–7) | 7 (5–8) | 7 (5–8) |
| Pain duration | |||||
| <6 weeks | 297 (66) | 76 (17) | 194 (65) | 89 (71) | 14 (47) |
| 6 weeks to 3 months | 59 (13) | 76 (17) | 37 (13) | 16 (13) | 6 (20) |
| >3 months | 96 (21) | 76 (17) | 66 (22) | 20 (16) | 10 (33) |
| Previous episodes of back pain | 426 (94) | 29 (6) | 279 (94) | 120 (96) | 27 (90) |
| Disability (RMDQ 0–24) | 9 (4–13) | 45 (10) | 6 (3–10) | 13 (10–16) | 17 (13–19) |
| Comorbidity (SCQ, 0–15) | 1 (1–2) | 18 (4) | 1 (0–2) | 2 (1–3) | 2 (2–3) |
| Health-related QOL (SF36, 0–100) | |||||
| Physical component | 42 (36–47) | 41 (9) | 45 (39–50) | 37 (33–43) | 33 (30–39) |
| Mental component | 55 (47–60) | 41 (9) | 57 (51–61) | 51 (43–56) | 38 (29–48) |
| Emotional well-being (CES-D, 0–60) | 8 (4–15) | 57 (13) | 6 (3–11) | 12 (8–18) | 18 (15–29) |
| Kinesiophobia (FABQ-PA, 0–24) | 10 (5–13) | 18 (4) | 10 (5–15) | 15 (10–19) | 19 (15–22) |
| Numbers of red flags (0–12) | 1 (0–2) | 50 (11) | 1 (0–1) | 1 (1–2) | 3 (1–4) |
| Healthcare utilization prior to inclusion | |||||
| Primary care consultation last 6 weeks | |||||
| General practitioner | 83 (18) | 21 (5) | 47 (16) | 24 (19) | 12 (40) |
| Physiotherapist | 129 (29) | 21 (5) | 87 (29) | 32 (26) | 10 (33) |
| Chiropractor | 188 (42) | 21 (5) | 123 (41) | 56 (45) | 9 (30) |
| Manual therapist | 19 (4) | 21 (5) | 13 (4) | 6 (5) | 0 (0) |
| Naprapath | 15 (3) | 21 (5) | 8 (3) | 5 (4) | 1 (3) |
| Osteopath | 3 (1) | 21 (5) | 2 (0.7) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) |
| Psychologist | 2 (0.4) | 21 (5) | 1 (0.3) | 1 (0.8) | 0 (0) |
| Other therapists | 7 (2) | 21 (5) | 4 (1) | 2 (2) | 1 (3) |
| Use of medication | 189 (42) | 38 (8) | 94 (32) | 71 (57) | 23 (77) |
| Diagnostic examination last 6 months | |||||
| Blood sample | 12 (3) | 24 (5) | 7 (2) | 0 (0) | 5 (17) |
| X-ray | 26 (6) | 24 (5) | 12 (4) | 7 (6) | 7 (23) |
| MRI | 53 (12) | 24 (5) | 30 (10) | 15 (12) | 8 (27) |
| CT | 8 (2) | 24 (5) | 6 (2) | 1 (0.8) | 1 (3) |
| Previous hospitalisation | 54 (12) | 21 (5) | 24 (8) | 18 (14) | 12 (40) |
| Previous rehabilitation stay | 18 (4) | 25 (6) | 7 (2) | 7 (6) | 4 (13) |
All values are presented by number (percentage of total) or median (IQR).
*The presented characteristics are pooled estimates based on the multiple imputation procedures.
†According to the StarT Back Screening Tool.
CES-D, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression; FABQ-PA, Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire-Physical Activity subscale; NRS, numeric rating scale; RMDQ, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire; SCQ, Self-administered Comorbidity Questionnaire; SF-36, Short Form Health Survey 36 Item.