Epidemiological surveillance of lumbar disc surgery in the general population: a pilot study in a French region.
OBJECTIVE
Disc-related sciatica (DRS) is a significant and costly health problem in the working population. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of a surveillance system for DRS using hospital databases for lumbar disc surgery (LDS).


METHODS
A total of 272 inpatients (119 men and 153 women) living in a French region and discharged in 2002-2003 from a spine center of a large University Hospital following LDS were compared with demographic and socioeconomic data on the population of the same region. Medical and occupational histories were gathered using a mailed questionnaire. The age-adjusted relative risks and population attributable fraction of risk (PAF) were calculated in relation to occupations and industries.


RESULTS
Information on employment was available for the 75 women and 71 men. The risk of LDS varied according to occupations and industries. PAFs ranged between 30% (12-48) for male blue collar workers and 22% (4-40) for female lower white collar workers. PAFs ranged between 7 and 17% in the economic sectors at high risk.


CONCLUSIONS
The surveillance of LDS can identify occupations and industries at risk.
Roquelaure
Yves
Y
IFR 132, UPRES 4336, UNAM, Laboratoire d'Ergonomie et d'Épidémiologie en Santé au Travail, CHU, Université d'Angers, 4, rue Larrey, 49933 Angers cedex, France. YvRoquelaure@chu-angers.fr
Fouquet
Natacha
N
Ha
Catherine
C
Bord
Eric
E
Surer
Nathalie
N
Manach
Audrey Petit Le
AP
Leclerc
Annette
A
Lombrail
Pierre
P
Goldberg
Marcel
M
Imbernon
Ellen
E
D000328:Adult; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012585:Sciatica / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*