Can epidemiological factors affect the 2-year outcomes after surgery for degenerative lumbar disease in terms of quality of life, disability and post-surgical pain?

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of epidemiological factors on the outcomes of surgery for degenerative lumbar disease in terms of quality of life, disability and chronic pain. Material and method: A total of 263 patients who received surgery for degenerative lumbar disease (2005-2008) were included in the study. The epidemiological data collected were age, gender, employment status, and co-morbidity. The SF-36, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Core Outcomes Measures Index (COMI), and VAS score for lumbar and sciatic pain were measure before and 2 years after surgery. The correlation between epidemiological data and questionnaire results, as well as any independent prognostic factors, were assessed in the data analysis. Results: The mean age of the patients was 54.0 years (22-86), and 131 were female (49.8%). There were 42 (16%) lost to follow-up. Statistically significant correlations (P. < .05) were observed between age, gender, co-morbidity, permanent sick leave, and pre-operative pain with changes in the ODI, COMI, physical and SF-36 mental scales, and lumbar and sciatic VAS. Linear regression analysis showed permanent sick leave and age as predictive factors of disability (β. = 14.146; 95% CI: 9.09 - 29.58; P<.01 and β. = 0.334; 95% CI: 0.40 - 0.98, P<.05, respectively), and change in quality of life (β. = -8.568; 95% CI: -14.88 - -2.26; p. < .01 and β. = -0.228, IC95% CI: -0.40 - -0.06, P<.05, respectively). Conclusion: Based on our findings, age and permanent sick leave have to be considered as negative epidemiologic predictive factors of the outcome of degenerative lumbar disease surgery. © 2012 SECOT.