Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study population according to treatment group
Characteristics | Zoledronic acid | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
n = 20 | n = 20 | |
Sex, n (%) men | 15 (75) | 11 (55) |
Age, mean (SD) years | 49 (9.3) | 51 (7.3) |
Smoking, n (%) regular smokers* | 5 (25) | 6 (30) |
BMI, mean (SD) kg/m | 26 (3.3) | 27 (3.2) |
Workload, n (%) | ||
-Sedentary work with limited walking | 4 (20) | 4 (22) |
-Fairly light work with considerable walking but no lifting or carrying heavy objects | 4 (20) | 3 (17) |
-Fairly strenuous work with walking and lifting heavy objects or climbing stairs or uphil | 8 (40) | 6 (33) |
-Very strenuous work with lifting or carrying heavy objects such as shovelling, digging or hammering | 4 (20) | 5 (28) |
Type of worst MC-lesion**, n | ||
Type I | 1 | 1 |
Type I/II | 19 | 18 |
Type II | 0 | 1 |
MC at two or more levels, n (%) | 7 (35) | 4 (20) |
Levels of MC, n | ||
L2/3 | 4 | 0 |
L3/4 | 3 | 5 |
L4/5 | 6 | 5 |
L5/S1 | 7 | 10 |
Duration of LBP, median (IQ range) days | 330 (200, 365) | 315 (270, 365) |
Intensity of LBP, mean (SD)*** | 6.6 (1.4) | 6.8 (1.6) |
Duration of leg pain, median (IQ range) days | 50 (0, 100) | 36 (0, 160) |
Intensity of leg pain, mean (SD)*** | 3.0 (3.1) | 2.9 (2.3) |
Oswestry Disability Index, %, Mean (SD) | 30 (11) | 35 (10) |
Duration of sick leave during the past year, median (IQ range) days | 14 (0, 48) | 18 (1, 181) |
RAND-36, mean (SD) | 50 (8) | 50 (7) |
RAND-36 physical component, mean (SD) | 51 (8) | 49 (8) |
RAND-36 mental component, mean (SD) | 51 (8) | 49 (9) |