Background
Methods
Search Strategy
Inclusion criteria
1. | Observational cohort study |
2. | Adult study population aged 18 years or over |
3. | Study population with symptoms and or signs indicative of 'sciatica' based on individual study criteria, with the broadest accepted definition being "pain down the leg which spreads below the knee" |
4. | Outcome measures include one or more of pain, function, disability, recovery or psychosocial measures. |
5. | Minimum follow-up period of 3 months |
6. | Publication in English |
Exclusion criteria
Methodological quality assessment
Study | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Checklist item
|
1.[12] |
2.[13] |
3.[14] |
4.[15] |
5.[16] |
6.[17] |
7.[19] |
8.[18] | |
1 | Is there a rationale for the study? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
2 | Is a clear study objective/goal defined? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
3 | Are key elements of study design described (e.g. how were participants identified/recruited) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
4 | Are the setting and selection criteria for the study population described? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
5 | Is the follow-up period appropriate? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
6 | Are there any strategies to avoid loss to follow-up, or address missing data? | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
7 | Is the sample size justified? | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
8 | Is information presented about the measurement instruments used to measure the prognostic variable(s) and does this enable replication (through the use of standardised or valid measures)? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
9 | Is the outcome selected and assessed appropriately? | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
10 | Are the study sample described (demographic/clinical characteristics)? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
11 | Is the final sample representative of the study's target population? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
12 | Is loss to follow-up ≤ 20%? (If not, are there any significant differences between responders and non-responders to follow-up on baseline variables? If yes, have the implications been considered?) | Yes | Yes | No 28% | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
13 | Are the main results reported (including prevalence of prognostic indicator(s) & outcome, strength of association, and statistical significance)? | Yes | Not fully | Not fully | Not fully | Yes | Not fully | Yes | Yes |
14 | Is the statistical analysis appropriate and described? | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
15 | Were potential confounders and effect modifiers identified and accounted for (e.g. multivariate analysis)? | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
16 | Do the findings support the authors' interpretations? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
17 | Do the authors discuss study limitations (e.g. biases/generalisability)? | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Total Score
|
15
|
12
|
12
|
12
|
16
|
8
|
15
|
14
|
Review Process
Data extraction and analysis
Results
ID | Author | Population studied | Subjects | Sciatica definition | Treatment | Follow-up (months) | Study Quality | Predictors studied | Outcomes measured |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Balague et al (1999) [12] | Consecutive hospital admissions with severe acute sciatica | 82 66% male mean age 43 yrs 73 at follow-up | Unilateral leg pain +/- LBP
and
positive neurological signs
and/or
radiological evidence of spinal nerve root compression | Conservative "intensive pain management" | 12 | High | Age, gender, duration of symptoms, smoking, previous sciatica, EMG, BMI, QOL, disability, pain, imaging results (MRI, CT), neurological signs, antibody test | "Recovery" (composite score including pain, disability & muscle strength) Recovery defined as: ODI Score ≤ 20 VAS pain ≤ 15 Normal muscle strength test (score 5) |
2 | Beauvais et al (2003) [13] | Consecutive patients attending rheumatology departments with symptoms of sciatica or femoral neuralgia of < 1 month duration and disc herniation on CT | 75 58% male mean age 41 yrs 60 at follow-up | Symptoms & examination consistent with sciatic or femoral neuralgia
and
CT evidence of intervertebral disk herniation | Conservative Bed rest, analgesics, lumbar brace +/- epidural steroid injection | 3 | Adequate | Age, gender, distribution of pain, duration of pain, previous sciatica, presence of severe pain requiring inpatient treatment, CT findings | "Recovery" Complete = return to usual work/activities, little or no analgesia Partial = residual pain, frequent analgesic use, complete or partial return to work, limited athletic activities Failure = persistent pain, continuous analgesic use, unable to return to work |
3 | Carragee & Kim (1997) [14] | Consecutive patients referred to hospital for MRI scan with symptoms suggestive of sciatica and available for 2 year follow-up | 188 58% male mean age 42.5 yrs 135 at follow-up | Lower extremity radicular pain (greater than back pain)
and
Positive SLR test or motor weakness
and
abnormal MRI scan | Usual care Conservative 64% and surgical 36% | 24 | Adequate | Disc morphology on MRI, age, gender, height, weight, duration, affected side, previous spinal surgery, occupation (heaviness of work), SLR, motor weakness, co-morbidity, smoking, alcohol, workers compensation, litigation, mode of treatment. | Composite measure of overall outcome comprising sum of scores on 0-10 scale for self-reported pain, medication use, activity restriction and satisfaction, total divided by 4 to give outcome score > 6 = good ≤6 = poor |
4 | Hasenbring et al (1994) [15] | Consecutive patients admitted to hospital with acute radicular pain and radiologically diagnosed disc prolapse | 111 60% male mean age 41.7 yrs 90 at follow-up | Acute radicular pain
and
radiologically diagnosed lumbar disc prolapse or protrusion | Usual care Surgical 66% Conservative 34% | 6 | Adequate | Depression (BDI), "daily hassles in fifteen areas of daily living including work, home, relationships and financial" (KISS) "emotional, cognitive & coping reactions to pain" (KSI), health locus of control", duration of symptoms, nature of onset, previous surgery, disc displacement on imaging, paresis, scoliosis, treatment (surgical/conservative), obesity, age, social status, occupation (posture, heaviness of work), duration of inability to work | Pain Intensity Self report 8 point scale |
5 | Jensen et al 2007 [16] | Consecutive patients referred to a specialist outpatient back pain centre with symptoms suggestive of sciatica and enrolled in an RCT of active conservative treatment | 187 55.5% male mean age 45 yrs 154 at follow-up | Radicular symptoms with a dermatomal distribution | Conservative Education, reassurance, analgesia, +/- exercise programme +/- manual physiotherapy If surgery required patients excluded from follow-up analysis | 14 | High | MRI findings (disc contour, height, signal & herniation); nerve root compromise; spinal stenosis (central, lateral, foraminal). Age Gender Treatment | "Recovery" (composite score including pain on 11 point VRS & disability on RMDQ) Recovery defined as: Pain score < 1 & RMDQ ≤ 3 |
6 | Komori et al 2002 [17] | Consecutive patients presenting to hospital with unilateral leg pain and with radiologically confirmed herniated disc | 131 no demographic data presented 90 at follow-up | Unilateral leg pain
and
MRI evidence of herniated nucleus pulposus | Usual care Conservative - rest, medication, traction. If surgery required patients excluded from follow-up analysis | 12 | Poor | Age, gender, occupation (heaviness of work), previous LBP or sciatica, Duration of symptoms Leg symptoms ( pain, SLR, FST, motor paresis & sensory disturbance) Level & type of herniation/disc degeneration on MRI scan | Outcome defined according to residual self-reported symptoms and disability on 3 point scale (poor, fair, good) |
7 | Miranda et al (2002) [19] | Employees of Finnish forestry industry receiving annual questionnaire about musculoskeletal pain | 3312 74% male mean age 45.3 yrs 2984 at follow-up | Self-reported low back pain with leg pain radiating below the knee | None | 12 | High | Age, gender, weight, height, smoking, driving, mental stress Occupational activities (twisting, bending, kneeling or squatting, working with arms raised, lifting), heaviness of work, 'overload' at work, risk of accident at work, Physical exercise and sporting activity in general & specific sports | Outcome defined as persistence of pain based on self report of sciatic pain Persistence = sciatica pain on >30 days/year in 2 consecutive years (1994 & 1995) on modified NMQ) |
8 | Vroomen et al (2002) [18] | Consecutive patients presenting to GP with 1st episode of sciatica and pain sufficient to justify further therapy. Study performed concurrently with RCT of bed rest | 183 56% male mean age 46 yrs 169 at follow-up | Leg pain in dermatomal distribution
and
≥ 2 of the following: • Increased pain on coughing & sneezing • Sensory loss • Muscle weakness • Reflex loss • Positive nerve root irritation signs | Usual care Surgery if indicated (15%) A second analysis excluding patients who had surgical treatment (n = 156) was performed | 3 | Adequate | Age, gender, education, living alone, employment, previous sciatica, previous LBP, family history, co-morbidity, smoking, sporting activity, BMI, Duration of symptoms, revised Oswestry score, Roland disability score, MPQ score Leg pain > back pain Pain-related symptoms and examination findings (SLR, FST, paresis, sensory loss, finger to floor distance) | Poor outcome defined as absence of any improvement at 3 months based on self-reported change in symptoms |
ID | First Author | Statistical analysis | Outcomes measured | Statistically significantapredictors of poor outcome | Strength of association | Statistically significantapredictors of good outcome | Strength of association | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
| Balague [12] | Multivariate analysis (stepwise logistic regression) | "Recovery" (composite score including pain, disability & muscle strength) Recovery defined as: ODI Score ≤ 20 VAS pain ≤ 15 Normal muscle strength test (score 5) | Positive neurological examination (Neurotot) | OR 4.3 (95%CI; 1.37, 13.28) | It is unclear whether the odds ratio given is crude or adjusted. | ||
2
| Beauvais [13] | Recovery and failure groups compared using Fishers test, Chi squared test or Wilcoxon test | "Recovery" Complete = return to usual work/activities, little or no analgesia Partial = residual pain, frequent analgesic use, complete or partial return to work, limited athletic activities Failure = persistent pain, continuous analgesic use, unable to return to work | Hospital admission because of severity of sciatic pain | Not reported | |||
3
| Carragee [14] | Multivariate analysis (multiple logistic regression) | Composite measure of overall outcome comprising sum of scores on 0-10 scale for self-reported pain, medication use, activity restriction and satisfaction, total divided by 4 to give outcome score > 6 = good ≤6 = poor | Larger ratio of disc to remaining canal (in conservatively treated patients) | R = 0.50 | Shorter duration of symptoms Absence of litigation Younger age | Not reported | Data from surgically and non-surgically treated patients analysed separately. Only data from conservatively treated patients presented |
4
| Hasenbring [15] | Multivariate regression analysis | Pain Intensity Self report 8 point scale | Lesser degree of disc displacement Scoliosis High score for non-verbal pain behaviour Low score for direct search for social support Tendency to ignore pain experience Poor ability to imagine coping with the pain Low social status | β = -0.32 β = 0.15 β = 0.31 β = -0.35 β = 0.29 β = -0.20 β = -0.17 | Pain intensity was the only outcome studied. 73 (65.8%) underwent surgical treatment but the analysis adjusted for treatment which was not found to be a significant predictor in this study. | ||
5
| Jensen [16] | Multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex and treatment | "Recovery" (composite score including pain on 11 point VRS & disability on RMDQ) Recovery defined as: Pain score < 1 & RMDQ ≤ 3 | Broad based disc protrusion Disc extrusion Male gender Absence of canal stenosis (males only) | OR 13.6 (95% CI; 1.9, 95.4) OR 10.6 (95% CI; 1.9, 58.7) OR 2.6 (95% CI; 1.3, 5.0) OR 4.2 (95% CI; 1.2, 14.7) | |||
6
| Komori [17] | Non-parametric methods (not further specified) | Outcome defined according to residual self-reported symptoms and disability on 3 point scale (poor, fair, good) | Smaller herniated disc Greater symptom severity at initial assessment | Not reported | The findings of this study should be interpreted with caution due to poor methodological quality | ||
7
| Miranda [19] | Multivariate logistic regression | Outcome defined as persistence of pain based on self report of sciatic pain Persistence = sciatica pain on >30 days/year in 2 consecutive years (1994 & 1995) on modified NMQ) | Poor job satisfaction Ex-smoker Jogging | OR 2.8 (95% CI; 1.2,6.7) OR 2.3 (95% CI; 1.3,4.3) OR 3.9 ( 95% CI;1.4,10.7) | Diagnosis of sciatica based on self-reported symptoms only | ||
8
| Vroomen [18] | Multivariate logistic regression | Poor outcome defined as absence of any improvement at 3 months based on self-reported change in symptoms | Duration of pain > 30 days Positive SLR | OR 10 (95%CI;2.5,33.3)* OR 2.5 (95%CI;1.25,20)* * see footnote | Patients undergoing eventual surgery excluded from this analysis. Follow up period only 3 months. |
Prognostic factor studied | Positive association with poor outcome | No association |
---|---|---|
Socio-demographic/individual
| ||
Older age | 0 | |
Gender | 0 | |
Previous sciatica | 0 | |
Smoking | 0 | |
Higher BMI/obesity (15% overweight) | 0 | |
Clinical (symptoms & signs)
| ||
Longer duration of symptoms | 1 [18] | |
Baseline pain/symptom severity | 1 [13*] | |
Neurological deficit | 1 [12] | |
Nerve root tension signs | 1 [18] | |
Clinical (radiological findings)
| ||
Level of disc herniation | 0 | |
Smaller disc prolapse | 1 [15] | |
Occupational
| ||
Heaviness of work | 0 |