Low back disorders in the long term among employees in the engineering industry : a study with 5-, 10- and 28-year follow-ups
Year: 2010
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, persistence, and incidence of low back pain (LBP), its associations with neck pain (NP), and predictive factors for low back disorders severe enough to lead to hospital admission. In addition, the relationships of clinical findings in the low back with LBP were examined. A sample of 902 subjects was drawn from among employees (n=4750) of a corporation in the engineering industry. During the follow-up period of 1973-2000, 232 subjects of the cohort died. In 1978, 748 subjects (84% of the survivors), in 1983, 654 subjects (76%), and in 2000-2001, 546 subjects (81%) responded to the questionnaire. LBP and NP were inquired using the recall period of 12 months. At baseline, 54% reported LBP; 29% local pain and 25% radiation of LBP to the leg(s). LBP was a very persistent symptom. Of those with LBP at baseline, 75%, 73%, and 88% reported similar symptoms at the 5-, 10-, and 28-year follow-ups, respectively. Radiating BP was more persistent than local LBP. The prevalence of radiating LBP, but not that of local LBP, increased during follow-up. LBP co-existed commonly with NP. Both local and radiating LBP doubled the risk of local NP at baseline. Radiating LBP trebled the risk of radiating NP. These associations remained stable as the cohort aged. Both local and radiating LBP at baseline predicted new reports of radiating NP at the 5- and the 10-year follow-ups among subjects free of radiating NP at baseline. The clinical findings were associated with LBP at baseline, stronger with radiating than with local pain. In prospective analyses, severe clinical findings predicted new reports of radiating LBP at the 5- and 10-year follow-ups with the odds ratio of 3.8 and 1.9, and new reports of local pain in the 10-year follow-up (4.1), compared to the group of no findings. Fifty-one subjects of the sample were hospitalized for low back disorders during the follow-up. The risk of hospitalization was threefold by self-reported chronic back disorders, back-related work absenteeism, and frequent LBP, and almost fourfold by radiating LBP. Overall the results show that LBP continues to be a common disorder in older adults, and that it often occurs in tandem with neck pain. Radiating LBP seemed to be particularly closely linked with clinical findings and with radiating NP. The results improve understanding of the natural course and consequences of LBP, and give weight to the suggestion of differentiating local from radiating pain in population studies.
Author: Sanna Kääriä
Language: English
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2223273849