Somatisation predicts the outcome of treatment in patients with low back pain.
We have assessed the influence of somatisation on the outcome of treatment in 81 patients with chronic low back pain. All, irrespective of whether treatment was surgical or conservative, had a significantly better (p < 0.001) health-related quality of life at follow-up on all but one scale of the SF-36. Lower health-related quality of life at follow-up correlated significantly with a higher tendency to somatise before treatment and at follow-up. A logistic regression analysis yielded two factors which predicted the outcome; somatisation (p < 0.001) and 'doctor shopping' (the number of physicians consulted before the present inpatient treatment, p < 0.001). These factors accurately distinguished between patients with good and those with poor outcomes in 82%. Patients with somatisation and 'doctor shopping' were at a higher risk for a poor outcome. The results show the relevance of somatisation in the outcome of treatment in patients with low back pain.
Nickel
R
R
Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
Egle
U T
UT
Rompe
J
J
Eysel
P
P
Hoffmann
S O
SO
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013001:Somatoform Disorders; D016896:Treatment Outcome