Background National or state-level estimates on trends in the prevalence of chronic low back pain (LBP) are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine whether the prevalence of chronic LBP and the demographic, health-related, and health care–seeking characteristics of individuals with the condition have changed over the last 14 years. Methods A cross-sectional, telephone survey of a representative sample of North Carolina households was conducted in 1992 and repeated in 2006. A total of 4437 households were contacted in 1992 and 5357 households in 2006 to identify noninstitutionalized adults 21 years or older with chronic (>3 months), impairing LBP or neck pain that limits daily activities. These individuals were interviewed in more detail about their health and health care seeking. Results The prevalence of chronic, impairing LBP rose significantly over the 14-year interval, from 3.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.4%-4.4%) in 1992 to 10.2% (95% CI, 9.3%-11.0%) in 2006. Increases were seen for all adult age strata, in men and women, and in white and black races. Symptom severity and general health were similar for both years. The proportion of individuals who sought care from a health care provider in the past year increased from 73.1% (95% CI, 65.2%-79.8%) to 84.0% (95% CI, 80.8%-86.8%), while the mean number of visits to all health care providers were similar (19.5 [1992] vs 19.4 [2006]). Conclusions The prevalence of chronic, impairing LBP has risen significantly in North Carolina, with continuing high levels of disability and health care use. A substantial portion of the rise in LBP care costs over the past 2 decades may be related to this rising prevalence.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/articlepdf/414769/ioi80169_251_258.pdf

The rising prevalence of chronic low back pain.

Context In recent decades, the fastest growth in lumbar surgery occurred in older patients with spinal stenosis. Trials indicate that for selected patients, decompressive surgery offers an advantage over nonoperative treatment, but surgeons often recommend more invasive fusion procedures. Comorbidity is common in older patients, so benefits and risks must be carefully weighed in the choice of surgical procedure. Objective To examine trends in use of different types of stenosis operations and the association of complications and resource use with surgical complexity. Design, Setting, and Patients Retrospective cohort analysis of Medicare claims for 2002-2007, focusing on 2007 to assess complications and resource use in US hospitals. Operations for Medicare recipients undergoing surgery for lumbar stenosis (n = 32 152 in the first 11 months of 2007) were grouped into 3 gradations of invasiveness: decompression alone, simple fusion (1 or 2 disk levels, single surgical approach), or complex fusion (more than 2 disk levels or combined anterior and posterior approach). Main Outcome Measures Rates of the 3 types of surgery, major complications, postoperative mortality, and resource use. Results Overall, surgical rates declined slightly from 2002-2007, but the rate of complex fusion procedures increased 15-fold, from 1.3 to 19.9 per 100 000 beneficiaries. Life-threatening complications increased with increasing surgical invasiveness, from 2.3% among patients having decompression alone to 5.6% among those having complex fusions. After adjustment for age, comorbidity, previous spine surgery, and other features, the odds ratio (OR) of life-threatening complications for complex fusion compared with decompression alone was 2.95 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.50-3.49). A similar pattern was observed for rehospitalization within 30 days, which occurred for 7.8% of patients undergoing decompression and 13.0% having a complex fusion (adjusted OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.74-2.17). Adjusted mean hospital charges for complex fusion procedures were US $80 888 compared with US $23 724 for decompression alone. Conclusions Among Medicare recipients, between 2002 and 2007, the frequency of complex fusion procedures for spinal stenosis increased while the frequency of decompression surgery and simple fusions decreased. In 2007, compared with decompression, simple fusion and complex fusion were associated with increased risk of major complications, 30-day mortality, and resource use.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/articlepdf/185630/joc05027_1259_1265.pdf

Trends, Major Medical Complications, and Charges Associated with Surgery for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis in Older Adults

Background Surgery for spinal stenosis is widely performed, but its effectiveness as compared with nonsurgical treatment has not been shown in controlled trials. Methods Surgical candidates with a history of at least 12 weeks of symptoms and spinal stenosis without spondylolisthesis (as confirmed on imaging) were enrolled in either a randomized cohort or an observational cohort at 13 U.S. spine clinics. Treatment was decompressive surgery or usual nonsurgical care. The primary outcomes were measures of bodily pain and physical function on the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-36) and the modified Oswestry Disability Index at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 and 2 years. Results A total of 289 patients were enrolled in the randomized cohort, and 365 patients were enrolled in the observational cohort. At 2 years, 67% of patients who were randomly assigned to surgery had undergone surgery, whereas 43% of those who were randomly assigned to receive nonsurgical care had also...

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Surgical versus Nonsurgical Therapy for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Study design Retrospective cohort study using national sample administrative data. Objectives To determine if lumbar fusion rates increased in the 1990s and to compare lumbar fusion rates with those of other major musculoskeletal procedures. Summary of background data Previous studies found that lumbar fusion rates rose more rapidly during the 1980s than did other types of lumbar surgery. Methods We used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1988 through 2001 to examine trends. U.S. Census data were used for calculating age and sex-adjusted population-based rates. We excluded patients with vertebral fractures, cancer, or infection. Results In 2001, over 122,000 lumbar fusions were performed nationwide for degenerative conditions. This represented a 220% increase from 1990 in fusions per 100,000. The increase accelerated after 1996, when fusion cages were approved. From 1996 to 2001, the number of lumbar fusions increased 113%, compared with 13 to 15% for hip replacement and knee arthroplasty. Rates of lumbar fusion rose most rapidly among patients aged 60 and above. The proportion of lumbar operations involving a fusion increased for all diagnoses. Conclusions Lumbar fusion rates rose even more rapidly in the 90s than in the 80s. The most rapid increases followed the approval of new surgical implants and were much greater than increases in other major orthopedic procedures. The most rapid increases in fusion rates were among adults aged 60 and above. These increases were not associated with reports of clarified indications or improved efficacy, suggesting a need for better data on the efficacy of various fusion techniques for various indications.

United States trends in lumbar fusion surgery for degenerative conditions

STUDY DESIGN Epidemiological study using national administrative data. OBJECTIVE To provide a complete analysis of national trends in spinal fusion from 1998 to 2008 and compare with trends in laminectomy, hip replacement, knee arthroplasty, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, and coronary artery bypass graft. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Previous studies have reported a rapid increase in volume of spinal fusions in the United States prior to 2001, but limited reports exist beyond this point, analyzing all spinal fusion procedures collectively. METHODS Data were obtained from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample for the years 1998 to 2008. Discharges were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes for the following procedures: spinal fusion, laminectomy, hip replacement, knee arthroplasty, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, and coronary artery bypass graft. Population-based utilization rates were calculated from the US census data. RESULTS Between 1998 and 2008, the annual number of spinal fusion discharges increased 2.4-fold (137%) from 174,223 to 413,171 (P < 0.001). In contrast, during the same time period, laminectomy, hip replacement, knee arthroplasty, and percutaneous coronary angioplasty yielded relative increases of only 11.3%, 49.1%, 126.8%, and 38.8% in discharges, while coronary artery bypass graft experienced a decrease of 40.1%. Between 1998 and 2008, mean age for spinal fusion increased from 48.8 to 54.2 years (P < 0.001), in-hospital mortality rate decreased from 0.29% to 0.25% (P < 0.01), and mean total hospital charges associated with spinal fusion increased 3.3-fold (P < 0.001). The national bill for spinal fusion increased 7.9-fold (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Frequency, utilization, and hospital charges of spinal fusion have increased at a higher rate than other notable inpatient procedures, as seen in this study from 1998 to 2008. In addition, patient demographics and hospital characteristics changed significantly; in particular, whereas the average age for spinal fusion increased, the in-hospital mortality rate decreased.

Spinal fusion in the United States: analysis of trends from 1998 to 2008.

OBJECTIVE: To study temporal trends and geographic variations in the use of surgery for spinal stenosis, estimate short-term morbidity and mortality of the procedure, and examine the likelihood of repeat back surgery after surgical repair.

DESIGN: Cohort study based on Medicare claims.

SETTING: Hospital care.

SUBJECTS: All Medicare beneficiaries 65 years of age or older who received a lumbar spine operation for spinal stenosis in 1985 or 1989 were followed through 1991 (10,260 patients from the 1985 cohort and 18,655 from the 1989 cohort).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Two outcomes were measured: (1) rates of operation for spinal stenosis by state and (2) on an individual level, operative complications (cardiopulmonary, vascular, or infectious), postoperative mortality, and time between first operation and any subsequent reoperation.

RESULTS: Rates of surgery for spinal stenosis increased eightfold from 1979 to 1992 for patients aged 65 and older and varied almost fivefold among US states. Mortality and operative complications increased with age and comorbidity. Complications were more likely for men and for individuals receiving spinal fusions. The 1989 cohort experienced a slightly higher probability of reoperation than the 1985 cohort for the first 3 years of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: A rapid increase in surgery rates for spinal stenosis was identified over a 14-year period. The wide geographic variations and substantial complication rate from this elective surgical procedure (partly related to patient age) suggest a need for more information on the relative efficacy of surgical and nonsurgical treatments for this condition. The risks and benefits of particular surgical procedures for specific clinical and demographic subgroups as well as individual patient preferences regarding surgical risks and possible outcomes should also be evaluated further. These issues are likely to become increasingly important with the aging of the US population. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:285–290, 1996.

An Assessment of Surgery for Spinal Stenosis: Time Trends, Geographic Variations, Complications, and Reoperations

Inappropriate patient selection for the surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation remains a major cause of failed laminectomy syndrome. Further experience with the use of a revised objective rating system for patient selection for lumbar laminectomy and discectomy for the treatment for disc herniation is presented. Based on the severity of findings within each of 4 categories (neurologic signs, root tension signs, imaging findings, and psychosocial environment), numeric scores are derived. A maximum of 25 points is available in each category, for a total of 100 points. Scores were determined prospectively in 275 patients who were treated by laminectomy for lumbar disc herniation. Followup averaged 4 years (range, 1 to 12.8 years). Overall, there were 226 (82%) good results, 26 (10%) fair results, and 23 (8%) poor results. Among the 89 patients with compensation/litigation issues, 52 (58%) had good outcomes ; 16 (18%), fair outcomes ; and 21 (24%), poor outcomes. Of the 186 patients without compensation or litigation issues, 174 (94%) had good results; 10 (5%), fair results ; and 2 (1%), poor results. The objective rating score was highly predictive of patient outcome at followup.

Suzanne L. Kreif

Papers

An Assessment of Surgery for Spinal Stenosis: Time Trends, Geographic Variations, Complications, and Reoperations

Patient selection for lumbar discectomy with a revised objective rating system.