Predictors of long-term pain and disability in patients with low back pain investigated by magnetic resonance imaging: A longitudinal study

Table 2 Frequency of treatment during follow-up according to MRI findings and psychological characteristics at baseline

	No surgery, injection or physical therapy	Surgery			Injection or physical therapy but not surgery
	n	n	PR^a	(95% CI)	n	PR^a	(95% CI)
Number of MRI abnormalities
0	20	2	1	-	9	1	-
1	16	2	1.2	(0.2-7.8)	9	1.3	(0.6-2.9)
2	21	11	3.4	(0.8-14.3)	19	1.9	(1.0-3.6)
3	20	7	3.2	(0.7-14.3)	23	1.8	(1.0-3.3)
4	14	7	3.0	(0.7-13.0)	11	1.6	(0.8-3.2)
Mental Health
Good	26	3	1	-	25	1	-
Intermediate	29	12	2.2	(0.7-7.3)	15	0.6	(0.4-1.1)
Poor	36	14	2.7	(0.8-8.9)	31	0.8	(0.5-1.3)
Number of distressing somatic symptoms
0	48	17	1	-	34	1	-
1	20	6	0.8	(0.3-1.9)	17	1.1	(0.7-1.8)
≥ 2	23	6	0.8	(0.3-1.8)	20	1.2	(0.8-2.0)

^aPrevalence ratios in comparison with those receiving none of surgery, injection or physical therapy, adjusted for the other baseline characteristics in the table, and also for sex and age (20-39, 40-49 and 50-64 years).
Analysis was restricted to the 191 patients who had not been treated surgically before completing the baseline questionnaire and who provided complete information on relevant risk factors.

ISSN: 1471-2474