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Table 4 Comparison of key characteristics for patients diagnosed with or without sciatica

From: Characteristics of patients with low back and leg pain seeking treatment in primary care: baseline results from the ATLAS cohort study

Characteristics

Sciatica pain

Referred pain

Sig.*

n = 452 (74.2 %)

n = 157 (25.8 %)

Socio-demographics

   

 Age (years), mean (SD)

50.4 (14.0)

49.4 (13.7)

0.451

 Gender, Female

276 (61.1)

105 (66.9)

0.194

 BMI

29.9 (6.3)

30.0 (8.7)

0.906

 Current smoker

151 (33.4)

43 (27.4)

0.163

 Back/leg pain interference with work performance, mean (SD)a

6.0 (2.9)

5.4 (3.0)

0.073

 Self-certified time off work or given sick note due to current episode (365)a

111 (40.8)

33 (36.3)

0.443

Pain and function

   

 RMDQ disability score (0–23), mean (SD)

12.9 (5.7)

12.0 (5.7)

0.093

 Back pain intensity, mean (SD)

5.6 (2.2)

5.4 (2.1)

0.413

 Leg pain intensity, mean (SD)

5.6 (2.3)

4.1 (2.3)

<0.001

 Pain below knee

333 (76.6)

61 (40.9)

<0.001

 Leg pain is worse

252 (55.8)

28 (17.8)

<0.001

 Sleep disturbance due to back/leg pain

325 (72)

103 (66)

0.447

 EQ—5D summary index

0.4 (0.3)

0.5 (0.3)

0.391

Start Back risk score

  

0.086

 Low

53 (12.1)

29 (19.1)

 

 Medium

212 (48.5)

64 (42.1)

 

 High

172 (39.4)

59 (38.8)

 

Sciatica Bothersomeness Index,

mean (SD)

   

 Leg pain

4.5 (1.4)

3.6 (1.6)

<0.001

 Numbness or tingling in leg, foot or groin

3.5 (2.0)

2.4 (2.1)

<0.001

 Weakness in leg or foot

2.8 (2.0)

2.0 (2.1)

<0.001

 Back or leg pain while sitting

4.1 (1.6)

4.1 (1.7)

0.084

  Composite score

14.9 (5.1)

12.2 (5.4)

<0.001

 S-LANSS; neuropathic pain score (≥12)

232 (51.6)

61 (39.0)

<0.007

Psychological measures

   

  HADs anxiety subscale

  

0.023

  Mild/possible case

86 (19.1)

34 (21.8)

 

  Probable/moderate/severe case

116 (25.7)

55 (35.3)

 

  HADs depression subscale

  

0.325

  Mild/possible case

82 (18.1)

37 (23.4)

 

  Probable/moderate/severe case

75 (16.6)

23 (14.7)

 

MRI findings(553)

  

<0.001

 Nerve root compression

252 (60.7)

45 (32.4)

 

 Normal

163 (39.3)

94 (67.6)

 

Neurological examination findings (609)

   

  Muscle weakness b

  

<0.001

  None

347 (76.8)

157 (100)

 

  Mild (4)

92 (20.4)

0 (0.0)

 

  Severe (≤3)

13 (2.9)

0 (0.0)

 

  Reflex change

  

<0.001

  None

341 (75.4)

149 (94.9)

 

  Slightly reduced

30 (6.6)

0 (0.0)

 

  Significantly reduced

19 (4.2)

3 (1.9)

 

  Absent

62 (13.7)

5 (3.2)

 

  Sensory change

  

<0.001

  None

226 (50.0)

130 (82.8)

 

  Reduced pin/prick

175 (38.7)

26 (16.6)

 

  Loss to pin/prick

51 (11.3)

1 (0.6)

 

  Neural tension tests (any positive test) c

324 (71.7)

11 (7.0)

<0.001

  1. All figures are frequencies (percentages) unless stated otherwise as mean (SD)
  2. aApplicable to those currently in paid job
  3. bMuscle strength tested according to the Oxford scale where;
  4.  1. Flicker of movement
  5.  2. Through full range actively with gravity counterbalanced
  6.  3. Through full range actively against gravity
  7.  4. Through full range actively against some resistance
  8.  5. Through full range actively against strong resistance
  9. cNeural tension tests; straight leg raise, femoral stretch, slump test
  10. *Significance p-value for the difference between participants diagnosed as having sciatica symptoms and those diagnosed as having referred leg pain based on Chi-squared test for categorical variables and 2-sample t-test for continuous variables
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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

ISSN: 1471-2474

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