Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the study participants.
| Normal saline (N = 17) | Hypertonic saline (N = 19) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 69.1 ± 10.1 | 65.7 ± 9.6 | 0.320 |
| Sex (n, %) | 0.739 | ||
| Male | 8 (47.1) | 11 (57.9) | |
| Female | 9 (52.9) | 8 (42.1) | |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 23.4 ± 4.1 | 24.2 ± 2.1 | 0.464 |
| Diabetes (n, %) | 4 (23.5) | 4 (21.1) | 0.858 |
| Hypertension (n, %) | 4 (23.5) | 4 (21.1) | 0.858 |
| Immunocompromised state | 7 (41.2) | 6 (33.3) | 0.733 |
| Lesion site | 0.989 | ||
| Cervical | 2 (11.8) | 2 (10.5) | |
| Thoracic | 14 (82.4) | 16 (84.2) | |
| Lumbar | 1 (5.9) | 1 (5.3) | |
| Number of levels | 2.0 (1.0–2.0) | 2.0 (1.0–2.0) | 0.707 |
| Duration of pain (months) | 24.0 (9.0–33.0) | 29.0 (9.0–38.0) | 0.552 |
| Basal pain intensity (NRS) | 6.7 ± 1.7 | 6.4 ± 1.9 | 0.644 |
| ISI (0–28) | 14.3 ± 7.5 | 11.4 ± 5.1 | 0.184 |
| MQS | 11.7 ± 5.8 | 12.5 ± 7.1 | 0.756 |
| Druga | |||
| Anticonvulsants | 14 (82.4) | 16 (84.2) | 0.999 |
| Antidepressants | 8 (47.1) | 11 (57.9) | 0.739 |
| Opioids | 12 (70.6) | 11 (57.9) | 0.502 |
| NSAIDs | 1 (5.9) | 2 (10.5) | 0.999 |
| Topical agents | 2 (10.5) | 1 (5.3) | 0.593 |
Data are expressed as a number (%), mean ± standard deviation, or median (interquartile range). aThe individualized baseline drugs for managing pain were anticonvulsants (gabapentinoids and carbamazepine), antidepressants (tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), topical agents (transdermal lidocaine patches and capsaicin cream), and analgesics (opioids and NSAIDs). ISI, insomnia severity index; MQS, medication quantification scale; NRS, numerical rating scale; NSAIDs, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.