Correlative analysis of lateral vertebral radiographic variables and medical outcomes study short-form health survey: a comparative study in asymptomatic volunteers versus patients with low back pain.

This prospective comparative study was designed to investigate the possible link between SF-36 functional status and lateral roentgenographic variables of the standing lumbar spine in patients with low back pain (LBP) versus asymptomatic volunteers. To the authors' knowledge, no previous studies have correlated SF-36 scores and sagittal roentgenographic variables in patients with LBP versus asymptomatic individuals. A total of 100 male volunteers, used as controls, and an equal number of age-, height-, and weight-comparable patients of the same ethnicity with chronic LBP were compared on the basis of roentgenographic and SF-36 data. The roentgenographic variables that were measured included the following: lumbar lordosis, sacral inclination, L1-S1 vertebral inclination, L4-S1 distal lordosis, disc index, and L1-L5 vertebral index. These variables were correlated with the eight SF-36 scales both in patients and controls. As the patients with LBP get older, they show lower functional scores in Role-Emotional (p < 0.01) and Physical Functioning (p < 0.01). Body height was not found to be a predisposition favoring LBP, but tall patients with LBP showed less Bodily Pain than patients of short stature (p < 0.001). This study showed that patients with LBP had significantly lower scores than their asymptomatic counterparts in the following SF-36 scales: Role-Physical (p < 0.01), Bodily Pain (p < 0.01), Role-Emotional (p = 0.058), and Mental Health (p < 0.001). In the controls General Health, Physical Functioning, Social Functioning, and Role-Emotional, Bodily Pain, Mental Health, and Vitality correlated statistically significantly with individuals' age, height, weight, lumbar lordosis, sacral inclination, inclination of L1, L3, and L5 vertebra, L1-L5 vertebral index, and L1-L2, L2-L3, L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 disc index. For the patients with LBP this study showed that General health, Physical Functioning, Role-Emotional, Social Functioning, and Bodily Pain were significantly correlated with age, height, L1-L2 inclination, distal lordosis, L2-L5 index, and L4-L5 and L5-S1 disc index. This comparative study showed that the functional status of hard-working patients with chronic LBP is associated with degenerative changes on the lateral radiographs of the lumbosacral spine. Spine surgeons should take into consideration the results of this study in reconstruction of painful degenerative lumbosacral spine.