Table 1 Characteristics of included studies
Study | Design | Data source & setting | Sample size | Population |
Shraim 2019 [13] | Retrospective cohort | A private workers’ compensation administrative and medical billing database, included cases from 49 states | 59,360, all cases from 2002 to 2008 | Persons aged 18–65 years, 69% males, mean age = 39.4 years (standard deviation (SD) 10.8) |
Shraim 2017 [7] | Retrospective cohort | A private workers’ compensation administrative and medical billing database, included cases from 49 states | 59,360, all cases from 2002 to 2008 | Persons aged 18–65 years, 69% males, mean age = 39.4 years (standard deviation (SD) 10.8) |
Shraim 2015 [6] | Retrospective cohort | A private workers’ compensation administrative and medical billing database, included cases from 49 states | 59,360, all cases from 2002 to 2008 | Persons aged 18–65 years, 69% males, mean age = 39.4 years (standard deviation (SD) 10.8) |
Webster 2013 [11] | Retrospective cohort | A private workers’ compensation administrative and medical billing database, and included cases from 45 states | 555, random sample of cases in 2006 | Mean age = 41 years; 73.3% males |
Graves 2012 [10] | Prospective cohort | Washington workers’ compensation program administrative and medical billing database plus telephone interviews | 955, all cases between July 2002 and April 2004 | Persons older than 18 years, 73.3% males |
Webster 2010 [37] | Retrospective cohort | A private workers’ compensation administrative and medical billing database, and included cases from 45 states | 3264, all cases in 2006 | Mean age = 41.4 years, 69.7% males |
Mahmud 2000 [12] | Retrospective cohort | A private workers’ compensation administrative database and included cases from 44 states and District of Columbia | 98, random sample of cases Between June 1995 and August 1995 | Persons aged 16–61 years, median age = 34 years, 71.4% males |
Study | LBP Definition | Exclusion criteria | eMRI definition | Work disability definition |
Shraim 2019 [13] | Uncomplicated LBP cases were identified using ICD-9 codes during the first 15 days of seeking medical care | Complicated LBP cases with severe injuries, multiple traumas, or significant non-injury diagnosis | Lumbar MRI within first 30 days of seeking medical care | Number of days of continuous paid indemnity (lost wage replacement for temporary total or temporary partial lost days) and truncated at the end of the 1-year follow-up period |
Shraim 2017 [7] | Uncomplicated LBP cases were identified using ICD-9 codes during the first 15 days of seeking medical care | Complicated LBP cases with severe injuries, multiple traumas, or significant non-injury diagnosis | Lumbar MRI within first 30 days of seeking medical care | Number of days of continuous paid indemnity (lost wage replacement for temporary total or temporary partial lost days) and truncated at the end of the 1-year follow-up period |
Shraim 2015 [6] | Uncomplicated LBP cases were identified using ICD-9 codes during the first 15 days of seeking medical care | Complicated LBP cases with severe injuries, multiple traumas, or significant non-injury diagnosis | Lumbar MRI within first 30 days of seeking medical care | Number of days of continuous paid indemnity (lost wage replacement for temporary total or temporary partial lost days) and truncated at the end of the 1-year follow-up period |
Webster 2013 [11] | Uncomplicated LBP cases or radiculopathy were identified using ICD-9 codes | Complicated LBP cases with severe injuries, multiple traumas, chronic or recurrent LBP or prior lumbar surgery, those with limited clinical information, significant non-injury diagnosis, receipt of nonlumbar MRI, or those with limited clinical information | Lumbar MRI within first 30 days of seeking medical care | Number of days of continuous paid indemnity (lost wage replacement for temporary total or temporary partial lost days) and truncated at the end of the 2-year follow-up period |
Graves 2012 [10] | Acute LBP was classified according to nature of injury (mild or major sprain/strain) | Cases with incomplete follow-up interviews, language limitations, severe injury, lack of information on the severity of the injury and/or disability compensation | Lumbar MRI within 6 weeks of seeking medical care | Same as Shraim 2019 |
Webster 2010 [37] | Uncomplicated LBP cases were identified using ICD-9 codes during the first month of seeking medical care | Cases with fractures, concurrent injuries within the first month from the date of injury, those with a work-related LBP claim in the prior year, those who had lumbar surgery before MRI and those with lump-sum settlements | Lumbar MRI within first 30 days of seeking medical care | Same as Webster 2013 |
Mahmud 2000 [12] | Acute LBP was classified according to nature of injury (mild or major sprain/strain) | Complicated LBP cases with severe injuries, multiple traumas, chronic or recurrent LBP, or concurrent workers’ compensation claim | Lumbar MRI within first 30 days of seeking medical care | Number of days of continuous paid indemnity (lost wage replacement for temporary total or temporary) followed by more than 7-day period without indemnity payments, and truncated at the end of the 1-year follow-up period |