Table 4 Key baseline characteristics for patients according to the groups formed by applying the stratification algorithm in the ATLAS cohort dataset. Figures are frequencies (proportions) unless otherwise specified
Group 1 (n = 52) STarT Back low risk | Group 2 (n = 266) Combination of up to 3 clinical characteristics and STarT Back medium risk or up to 2 clinical characteristics and STarT Back high risk | Group 3 (n = 111) Combination of at least 3 clinical characteristics and STarT Back high risk or 4 clinical characteristics and STarT Back medium risk | |
|---|---|---|---|
Characteristics | |||
Age (years) (mean, (SDa)) | 52.5 (13.44) | 49.5 (13.6) | 51.0 (15.0) |
Gender (F) | 55.7 (29) | 61.6 (164) | 60.4 (67) |
Low back pain intensity (mean, (SD)) | 2.5 (2.4) | 5.5 (2.4) | 7.0 (2.3) |
Leg pain intensity (mean, (SD)) | 3.5 (2.6) | 5.2 (2.7) | 8.0 (1.9) |
Leg pain worse than back pain | 65.4 (34) | 52.6 (140) | 60.3 (67) |
Disability (RMDQb) (mean, (SD)) | 5.7 (3.4) | 12.6 (5.0) | 17.3 (4.4) |
Pain below knee | 66.0 (33) | 70.2 (179) | 94.5 (104) |
Duration of leg pain: | |||
less than 6 weeks | 52.0 (26) | 45.7 (116) | 37.3 (41) |
between 6 weeks to 3 months | 24.0 (12) | 21.7 (55) | 21.8 (24) |
over 3 months | 24.0 (12) | 32.7 (83) | 41.0 (45) |
HADsc depression score (mean, (SD)) | 2.8 (2.4) | 6.1 (3.6) | 8.6 (4.3) |
PSEQd (mean, (SD)) | 48.9 (8.8) | 34.5 (13.0) | 22.8 (13.0) |
Neurological examination findings: | |||
Myotomal weakness (any) | 13.5 (7) | 21.8 (58) | 33.3 (37) |
Reflex deficit (any) | 15.4 (8) | 23.3 (62) | 32.4 (36) |
Sensory deficit (any) | 44.2 (23) | 41.0 (109) | 78.4 (87) |
Neural tension tests: | |||
any positive | 63.5 (33) | 74.9 (199) | 72.1 (80) |