Table 4 Baseline characteristics and clinical findings of patients in the four variation patterns, and eight subgroups of the Persistent fluctuating and Episodic variation patterns
From: Neck pain patterns and subgrouping based on weekly SMS-derived trajectories
Main patterns and subgroups NP variables | Ongoing/ Recovered n = 45 (3.9%) | Persistent fluctuating n = 569 (49.5%) | Episodic n = 513 (44.6%) | Single episode n = 23 (2.0%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Age, mean (SD) | 47 (16) | 45 (13) | 44 (12) | 41 (13) |
Female, n (%) | 22 (49) | 424 (76)a | 386 (74)a | 14 (61) |
Currently on sick leave, n (%) | 1 (2.2) | 34 (6.1) | 26 (5.0) | 0 (0) |
First episode, n (%) | 19 (42) | 53 (10)a | 79 (15)a | 9 (39) |
Duration > 1 month, n (%) | 18 (42) | 484 (88)a | 356 (69)a | 11 (50) |
> 3 previous episodes, n (%) | 14 (31) | 449 (81)b | 321 (62) | 7 (30) |
Concomitant LBP, n (%) | 13 (30) | 342 (62)b | 240 (47) | 6 (27) |
Headache, n (%) | 18 (42) | 447 (81)b | 333 (65) | 11 (50) |
Pain intensity - NRS (0–10), median (IQR) | 3 (1–5) | 5 (3–6)b | 3 (2–5) | 2.5 (1–4) |
Psychosocial screening – ÖMPQ Short form (0–100), mean (SD) | 26 (19) | 43 (17)b | 33 (16) | 24 (16) |
General health (VAS 0–100), mean (SD) | 80 (13) | 66 (20)b | 75 (18) | 80 (14) |
Psychological distress - HSCL-10, mean (SD) | 1.4 (0.4) | 1.7 (0.5)b | 1.5 (0.5) | 1.3 (0.3) |
Severe | 2.0 (0.6)c | 1.6 (0.5) | ||
Moderate | 1.8 (0.5)c | 1.5 (0.4) | ||
Mild | 1.7 (0.5)c | 1.5 (0.5) | ||
Minor | 1.5 (0.5) | 1.4 (0.2) | ||
Disability – NDI, mean (SD) | 5.2 (3.4) | 13.9 (6.6)b | 9.4 (5.9) | 7.5 (4.8) |
Severe | 22.5 (7.9)c | 11.2 (5.9) | ||
Moderate | 15.5 (5.9)c | 8.8 (6.1) | ||
Mild | 12.1 (5.2)c | 7.4 (5.0) | ||
Minor | 10.1 (5.7)c | 5.3 (2.9) | ||
Radiation into arm at baseline, n (%) | 24 (56) | 449 (81)b | 371 (73) | 12 (55) |
Severe | 41 (84) | 194 (75) | ||
Moderate | 147 (84)c | 115 (70) | ||
Mild | 228 (79) | 58 (72) | ||
Minor | 33 (75) | 4 (56) |