Table 1.

Descriptive Characteristics and Health Care Utilization Among 2 498 013 Patients With Newly Diagnosed Low Back or Lower Extremity Pain, 2008 to 2015

CharacteristicNo Surgery (n = 2 467 389)Surgery (n = 30 624)P Value
Age group, No. (%), y
18-29354 322 (14.4)1920 (6.3)NA
30-39444 613 (18.0)4800 (15.7)
40-49566 910 (23.0)7597 (24.8)
50-59586 459 (23.8)8530 (27.9)
60-69312 076 (12.7)5198 (17.0)
70-79122 976 (5.0)2092 (6.8)
≥8080 033 (3.2)487 (1.6)
Age, median (interquartile range) y47 (36-58)51 (41-60)<.001
Female, No. (%)1 360 360 (55.1)12 716 (41.5)<.001
No. of Elixhauser comorbidities, No. (%)
01 317 451 (53.4)15 688 (51.2)<.001
1620 272 (25.1)7949 (26.0)
≥2529 666 (21.6)6987 (22.8)
Common Elixhauser comorbidities, No. (%)
Hypertension, uncomplicated580 363 (23.5)8557 (27.9)NA
Diabetes, uncomplicated227 808 (9.2)3450 (11.3)
Depression192 190 (7.8)2270 (7.4)
Health professional visits at any point in time after diagnosis, No. (%)
Primary care practitioner1 719 243 (69.7)28 474 (93.0)<.001
Chiropractor308 941 (12.5)2849 (9.3)<.001
Physical therapist170 764 (6.9)7955 (26.0)<.001
Imaging at any point in time post diagnosis, No. (%)
Lumbar computed tomography 24 604 (1.0)3751 (12.3)<.001
Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging 295 632 (12.0)26 304 (85.9)<.001
Lumbar radiograph740 845 (30.0)22 327 (72.9)<.001
Procedures at any point in time post diagnosis, No. (%)
Epidural steroid injection86 994 (3.5)12 274 (40.1)<.001
Physical therapy335 792 (13.6)12 646 (41.3)<.001
Chiropractic manipulative treatment301 862 (12.2)2660 (8.7)<.001
Types of surgery received, No. (%)
AnteriorNA1924 (6.3)NA

InstrumentationNA8220 (26.8)
MultilevelNA8244 (26.9)
PosteriorNA29 421 (96.1)
6-mo cost, $
Unadjusted per patient, mean (SD)655 (1716)17 640 (24 562)<.001
Regression-adjusted, unmatched, mean (SD)656 (2.0)17 624 (18.4)<.001
Regression-adjusted, matched, mean (SD)676 (2.1)17 640 (18.6)<.001
Collective sum of group (% of total cost)1 616 604 470 (75.0)540 098 155 (25.0)NA
12-mo cost, $
Unadjusted per patient, mean (SD)769 (2093)25 613 (29 917)<.001
Regression-adjusted, unmatched, mean (SD)769 (2.5)25 596 (22.4)<.001
Regression-adjusted, matched, mean (SD)795 (2.5)25 613 (22.6)<.001
Collective sum of group (% of total cost)1 896 529 067 (70.8)784 103 292 (29.3)NA

Abbreviation: NA, not applicable.