title: Epidemiological surveillance of lumbar disc surgery in the general population: a pilot study in a French region.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Roquelaure
authors.forename: Natacha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fouquet
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bord
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Surer
authors.forename: Audrey Petit Le
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Manach
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leclerc
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lombrail
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Imbernon
mesh_terms: 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*