Patient Expectations as Predictors of Outcome In Patients with Acute Low Back Pain

doi:10.1007/s11606-007-0460-5

Table 1

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics by Level of General Expectation

		Level of General Expectation
Patient Characteristics	Study Group* n = 442	Medium n = 58	High n = 186	Very High n = 198	p value
Demographics
Mean Age^†	43.0	40.9 ± 13.1	42.8 ± 12.9	43.9 ± 12.3	0.12
Female	53%	56.9%	55.9%	50.0%	0.24
Annual Income > $75,000?	34%	37.7%	30.0%	39.7%	0.33
Education Beyond High School	97%	98.3%	95.7%	97.0%	0.93
White	65%	65.5%	63.6%	67%	0.66
Married of living with someone	65%	55.2%	63.4%	69.2%	0.04
Employed (currently working)	85%	80.7%	85.5%	86.9%	0.33
Clinical Factors General Health
Weeks worked in past year	43.2 ± 13.2	43.7 ± 11.2	42.5 ± 14.2	43.8 ± 12.7	0.96
Self-rating of general health^‡	2.3 ± 0.9	2.5 ± 1.0	2.5 ± 0.9	2.1 ± 0.9	0.002
Physical SF12 Subscale	36.7 ± 7.5	38.6 ± 8.0	36.6 ± 7.5	36.2 ± 7.2	0.03
SF12^§	4.7 ± 1.3	4.7 ± 1.6	4.8 ± 1.2	4.7 ± 1.3	0.94
Current Episode Baseline
Baseline Roland Score^║	16.4 ± 4.7	15.2 ± 5.5	16.3 ± 5.0	16.8 ± 4.1	0.02
Pain Score^¶	7.1 ± 2.2	6.4 ± 2.5	7.0 ± 2.1	7.3 ± 2.1	0.007
Days in bed in past wk	0.94 ± 1.5	0.8 ± 1.4	1.1 ± 1.7	0.9 ± 1.3	0.71
Days/wk exercise^#	4.1 ± 1.7	4.3 ± 2.0	3.9 ± 1.7	4.3 ± 1.6	0.91
First Time MD**	34%	24.1%	27.4%	43.2%	0.0006
Leg pain or numbness?	38.2%	41.4%	39.5%	36.4%	0.44
5 Week Follow Up
5 Week Roland Score	7.5 ± 6.9	9.9 ± 7.2	8.5 ± 6.9	5.9 ± 6.5	0.0003
Prior Episode(S)
Hospitalized for LBP in past?	2.3%	3.5%	3.8%	0.5%	0.06
Prior helpfulness PCP††	5.8 ± 3.0	4.0 ± 3.2	5.8 ± 2.7	6.5 ± 3.0	<.0001
Prior helpfulness PT‡‡	6.5 ± 2.7	4.6 ± 3.0	6.4 ± 2.7	7.7 ± 1.8	<.0001
Chosen CAM therapy in past?	31%	15.4%	37.1%	28.9%	0.92
Prior helpfulness CAM^§§	8.1 ± 2.1	8.5 ± 1.3	7.9 ± 2.5	8.2 ± 1.8	0.81

*For nearly all variables, more than 90% of data were available; however, data were missing at a higher rate for the following variables: days/week of exercise (n = 313), helpfulness of PCP for past episodes (n = 269), helpfulness of PT for past episodes (n = 148), treatment by chosen CAM therapy in past (n = 185), and helpfulness of CAM therapy in past (n = 84).

^†Means are followed with ± standard deviation

^‡1=Excellent, 5=poor

^§Amount of time during past week feeling blue: 1=all time, 6=none of time

^║0=No disability, 23=worst disability

^¶ 0=No pain, 10=worst pain ever

^#Prior to current LBP episode

**Patient seeing MD for LBP for first time

††Helpfulness of PCP for prior LBP (0=not helpful, 10=extremely helpful)

‡‡Helpfulness of PT for prior episode of LBP (0=not helpful, 10=extremely helpful)