Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of 84 Patients Who Underwent Lumbar Fusion Surgery for Back Pain and Cegenerative Disc Disease.
| Variable | Sample (n = 84) |
|---|---|
| Age: mean (SD) | 50.8 (12.2) |
| Sex (males) | 40 (48%) |
| Body Mass Index: mean (SD) | 27.8 (5.3) |
| Living status (lives alone) | 10 (12%) |
| Education (post-secondary or greater) | 52 (61%) |
| Smoking status (current smoker) | 17 (20%) |
| Current disability or insurance claims (yes) | 35 (41%) |
| Number of comorbidities: mean (SD) | 2.8 (1.8) |
| Pre-operative daily opiate use (yes) | 35 (41%) |
| Pre-operative use of over-the-counter analgesics (yes) | 38 (45%) |
| Pre-operative use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (yes) | 14 (17%) |
| Pre-operative use of muscle relaxants (yes) | 21 (25%) |
| Pre-operative use of anti-depressants (yes) | 17 (20%) |
| Pre-operative use of neuroleptic (yes) | 17 (20%) |
| Duration of symptoms: | |
| Less than 3 months | 0 (0%) |
| 3 to 6 months | 1 (1%) |
| 6 to 12 months | 4 (5%) |
| 1 to 2 years | 12 (14%) |
| Greater than 2 years | 67 (79%) |
| Pre-operative Patient-Reported Outcome Measures | |
| Numerical Pain Rating Scale—back pain: mean (SD) | 7.6 (1.8) |
| Oswestry Disability Index: mean (SD) | 48.2 (14.1) |
| Short Form 12—Physical Component Summary | 31.4 (8.7) |
| Short Form 12—Mental Component Summary | 46.4 (7.9) |
| Patient Health Questionnaire | 11.9 (5.8) |
SD = standard deviation.