Table 3 Comparison of clinical outcomes between the physical therapy and surgery groups at 1 year
| Â | Before matching | After matching | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  | Mean change at 1 year | Difference between groups | Mean change at 1 year | Difference between groups | ||
|  | Physical therapy (n = 38) (95% CI) | Surgery (n = 186) (95% CI) | Physical therapy minus Surgery (95% CI) | Physical therapy (n = 33) (95% CI) | Surgery (n = 33) (95% CI) | Physical therapy minus Surgery (95% CI) |
Zurich claudication questionnaire | ||||||
 Symptom severity | −0.6 (−0.8 to −0.5) | −0.9 (−1.0 to − 0.8) | 0.3 (0.03 to 0.5)* | − 0.7 (− 0.9 to − 0.5) | −0.8 (− 1.1 to − 0.4) | 0.1 (− 0.3 to 0.5) |
 Physical function | −0.5 (− 0.7 to − 0.3) | −0.8 (− 0.9 to − 0.7) | 0.3 (0.1 to 0.6)* | −0.5 (− 0.7 to − 0.2) | −0.6 (− 0.8 to − 0.3) | 0.1 (− 0.2 to 0.5) |
Numerical rating scale | ||||||
 Back pain | − 0.7 (− 1.8 to 0.4) | − 2.1 (− 2.6 to − 1.6) | 1.4 (0.2 to 2.6)* | −0.7 (− 1.9 to 0.5) | − 1.5 (− 2.8 to − 0.2) | 0.8 (− 0.9 to 2.5) |
 Leg pain | −2.1 (− 3.1 to − 1.0) | −2.9 (− 3.4 to − 2.4) | 0.9 (− 0.4 to 2.1) | −2.1 (− 3.3 to − 0.9) | −2.2 (− 3.4 to − 1.0) | 0.1 (− 1.6 to 1.8) |
 Leg numbness | – 1.4 (− 2.8 to − 0.1) | – 2.0 (− 2.5 to − 1.5) | 0.6 (− 0.8 to 1.9) | − 1.6 (− 3.0 to − 0.2) | −2.0 (− 3.0 to − 1.1) | 0.4 (− 1.3 to 2.1) |
Japanese orthopedic association back pain evaluation questionnaire | ||||||
 Pain-related disorders | 10.2 (−1.0 to 21.4) | 30.2 (24.5 to 35.8) | −20.0 (− 33.4 to − 6.6)* | 9.5 (− 2.9 to 22.0) | 20.1 (5.7 to 34.4) | − 10.5 (− 29.2 to 8.2) |
 Lumbar dysfunction | 8.8 (1.9 to 15.7) | 10.9 (6.4 to 15.4) | − 2.0 (− 10.2 to 6.1) | 8.4 (0.8 to 15.9) | 0.3 (− 9.4 to 10.0) | 8.0 (− 4.0 to 20.1) |
 Gait disturbance | 15.3 (5.8 to 24.9) | 32.3 (27.7 to 36.8) | −16.9 (− 27.9 to − 5.9)* | 16.2 (5.3 to 27.0) | 21.7 (9.4 to 34.0) | −5.6 (− 21.7 to 10.5) |
 Social life dysfunction | 13.6 (6.3 to 20.8) | 21.9 (18.2 to 25.6) | −8.3 (− 17.0 to 0.4) | 13.8 (5.7 to 22.0) | 13.1 (3.9 to 22.3) | 0.8 (− 11.3 to 12.8) |
 Psychological disorders | 5.4 (1.1 to 9.7) | 11.9 (9.0 to 14.8) | −6.5 (−11.7 to − 1.4)* | 5.7 (1.1 to 10.4) | 4.4 (− 3.5 to 12.2) | 1.3 (− 7.7 to 10.3) |
SF-36 | Â | |||||
 Physical functioning | 4.6 (−1.0 to 10.2) | 19.4 (15.9 to 22.8) | −14.8 (− 21.3 to −8.3)* | 6.1 (0.2 to 11.9) | 9.4 (−0.7 to 19.5) | −3.4 (− 14.9 to 8.2) |
 Bodily pain | 17.0 (10.5 to 23.5) | 25.6 (22.0 to 29.2) | −8.6 (− 17.1 to − 0.2)* | 16.8 (9.4 to 24.2) | 19.3 (11.8 to 26.8) | −2.5 (− 12.8 to 7.8) |
 Role physical | 10.5 (1.7 to 19.4) | 18.5 (13.9 to 23.1) | −8.0 (− 18.9 to 2.9) | 8.9 (− 0.4 to 18.2) | 7.9 (− 1.9 to 17.8) | 1.0 (− 12.3 to 14.2) |
 Role emotional | 6.4 (− 4.1 to 16.8) | 15.9 (10.8 to 21.0) | −9.6 (− 21.7 to 2.6) | 3.8 (− 7.8 to 15.4) | 6.1 (− 4.5 to 16.6) | −2.3 (− 17.6 to 13.1) |
 Mental health | 4.9 (− 3.8 to 13.5) | 12.5 (9.3 to 15.6) | −7.6 (− 15.5 to 0.3) | 7.0 (− 2.3 to 16.2) | 8.6 (− 0.4 to 17.7) | −1.7 (− 14.3 to 11.0) |
 Social functioning | 5.6 (− 2.8 to 14.0) | 13.0 (8.3 to 17.8) | −7.4 (− 18.5 to 3.7) | 6.4 (− 2.4 to 15.2) | 2.3 (− 8.0 to 12.5) | 4.2 (− 9.1 to 17.4) |
 Vitality | 5.4 (− 1.2 to 12.0) | 13.2 (9.8 to 16.6) | −7.8 (− 15.8 to 0.2) | 6.1 (− 1.1 to 13.2) | 7.3 (0.4 to14.3) | −1.3 (− 11.1 to 8.5) |
 General health | 7.4 (2.1 to 12.7) | 6.3 (3.7 to 9.0) | 1.1 (− 5.3 to 7.4) | 7.2 (1.3 to 13.2) | 2.4 (− 4.1 to 8.9) | 4.8 (− 3.8 to 13.5) |