title: Efficacy of the revised NIOSH lifting equation to predict risk of low back pain due to manual lifting: expanded cross-sectional analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (RNLE) is a valid tool for assessing risk of low back pain (LBP) due to manual lifting by using combined data from two cross-sectional studies of 1-year prevalence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Results from a symptom and occupational history questionnaire and RNLE analysis for 677 subjects employed in 125 manual lifting jobs at nine industrial sites were combined from two studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The odds of LBP increased as the lifting index (LI) increased from 1.0 to 3.0. A statistically significant odds ratio (OR) was found for both the 1 < LI ≤ 2 (OR = 1.81) and the 2 < LI ≤ 3 categories (OR = 2.26). For jobs with an LI value greater than 3.0, however, the OR remained nonsignificant. The 2 < LI ≤ 3 group remained statistically significant after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, and psychosocial factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is clear that as the LI increases, the risk of LBP increases. Longitudinal studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, USA. trw1@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: Ming-Lun
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Laurie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Piacitelli
authors.forename: Dwight
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Werren
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Deddens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017770:Lifting / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. / Q000592:standards*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology