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

Table 6 Employment outcomes at follow-up according to presence of disc degeneration on MRI, psychological characteristics and occupational activities at baseline, and treatment received

	Job left or work restricted because of LBP^a
	n	%	PR^b	(95% CI)
Disc degeneration
Absent	23	26	1	-
Present	24	31	1.2	(0.8-2.0)
Mental health
Good	14	23	1	-
Intermediate	16	33	1.2	(0.7-2.2)
Poor	17	32	1.2	(0.6-2.3)
Number of distressing somatic symptoms
0	24	24	1	-
1	9	26	0.9	(0.5-1.7)
≥ 2	14	45	1.4	(0.8-2.7)
Job at baseline entailed lifting, bending, twisting, digging or shovelling^c
No	26	22	1	-
Yes	21	46	1.9	(1.1-3.0)
Treatment
None^d	15	19	1	-
Surgery^e	13	45	2.2	(1.2-4.0)
Injection or physical therapy but not surgery^f	19	35	1.8	(1.0-3.1)

^aJob left because of back problem in interval between baseline and follow-up questionnaires, or still in same job at time of answering the follow-up questionnaire but with restriction of normal work activities in the past four weeks. Analysis was restricted to the 164 patients who held a job when they completed the baseline questionnaire and who provided complete information on relevant risk factors.
^bPrevalence ratios adjusted for the other risk factors in the table and also for sex and age (20-39, 40-49 and 50-64 years)
^cAn average working day entailed lifting loads > 10 kg more than ten times, working with the back bent or twisted for longer than an hour, or digging/shovelling
^dNo back surgery after MRI investigation and no injections or physical therapy after baseline questionnaire
^eBack surgery after MRI investigation
^fInjections or physical therapy after baseline questionnaire, but no back surgery after MRI investigation

ISSN: 1471-2474