Affiliations: [a] Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine, Seoul, Korea | [b] Jaseng Spine and Joint Research Institute, Jaseng Medical Foundation, Seoul, Korea | [c] Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju, Korea
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: In-Hyuk Ha, Jaseng Spine and Joint Research Institute, Jaseng Medical Foundation, 3F JS Tower, 538 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 06110, Korea. Tel.: +82 2 2222 2740; Fax: +82 2 546 3854; E-mail: hanihata@gmail.com.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) may experience low back pain (LBP) and radiating pain (RP). Currently, there is no substantial clinical benefit (SCB) of assessing both LBP and RP due to LDH. OBJECTIVE: To determine enhanced SCB values by simultaneously assessing LBP and RP. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated hospitalized LDH patients with concomitant LBP and RP between June 1, 2012, and May 31, 2013, and determined the numeric rating scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores at admission and discharge. Furthermore, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was computed to assess diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: SCB as per NRS for both LBP and RP was -2.50 in the 186 enrolled patients (AUC: 0.699 and 0.704, respectively). SCB as per ODI was -18.78 (AUC: 0.771). SCB for the mean of the two NRS scores for LBP and RP was -2.75 (AUC: 0.757). SCB for NRS score with a larger change in LBP and RP was -3.50 (AUC: 0.767). CONCLUSIONS: SCB may be determined by comprehensively considering LBP and RP and choosing the mean NRS or NRS score with a large change.
Keywords: Lumbar disc herniation, low back pain, radiating pain, substantial clinical benefit, numeric rating scale, Oswestry Disability Index
