Are tall people at higher risk of low back pain surgery? A discussion on the results of a multipurpose cohort.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether height is associated with low back pain (LBP) and surgery, taking into account personal and socioeconomic risk factors in a general population.


METHODS
In 2001, 13,680 participants of the Gazel cohort completed a self-reported questionnaire on LBP and surgery interventions. Three groups were compared according to their body height: no LBP (reference group, participants who declared they never had LBP), LBP without surgery (participants who ever had LBP but without surgery), and back surgery (participants who ever had surgery for LBP). Adjusted variables were sex, age, educational level, marital status, height, and body mass index.


RESULTS
Mean height was significantly higher in men in the back surgery group than in the reference group and the LBP group. The proportion of surgically-treated LBP was higher for people whose height was > or =4th quartile (P < 0.0001). Being in the highest quartile for height was a stronger risk factor for surgery (adjusted odds ratio [OR(adj)] = 2.01, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.61-2.51) than for LBP without surgery (OR(adj) = 1.29, 95% CI 1.18-1.40).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that being tall is a predictor for back surgery.
Coeuret-Pellicer
Mireille
M
INSERM, U687, Villejuif, France. mireille.pellicer@inserm.fr
Descatha
Alexis
A
Leclerc
Annette
A
Zins
Marie
M
D000368:Aged; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires