title: The prevalence and severity of low back pain and associated symptoms in 3,009 old men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and severity of low back pain (LBP) and the influence of sciatica and neurological deficits in old men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mister osteoporosis Sweden includes 3,014 community-dwelling men aged 69-81 years. At study start 3,009 participants answered questions on LBP, low back pain and sciatica (LBP + SCI) or low back pain and sciatica with associated neurological deficits (LBP + SCI + NEU) during the preceding 12 months. Data are presented as proportions or medians with mid-quartile ranges. Differences between groups were tested by χ(2) test and Kruskall-Wallis test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  24% had experienced LBP without SCI, 8% LBP + SCI and 14% LBP + SCI + NEU. 10% of the men with LBP, 22% of those with LBP + SCI, and 36% of those with LBP + SCI + NEU rated the pain as severe (p < 0.001). 23% of the men with LBP, 31% of those with LBP + SCI and 50% of those with LBP + SCI + NEU reported limitation in activity of daily living (ADL) (p < 0.001). Men with only LBP had to restrict their activities for 7 days (3-14), those with LBP + SCI 6 days (2-14) and those with LBP + SCI + NEU 10 days (3-30) (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 1-year prevalence of LBP in community living men aged 69-81 years was close to 50% but for individuals with LBP or LBP + SCI the morbidity was low with more than two-thirds having no limitations in ADL. In men with LBP + SCI + NEU more than one-third rated the pain as severe and close to half had limitations in ADL.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Molecular Osteoporosis Research Unit, Departments of Orthopedics and Clinical Sciences, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden, iman.ghanei@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghanei
authors.forename: Björn E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Rosengren
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hasserius
authors.forename: Jan-Åke
authors.initials: JÅ
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mellström
authors.forename: Claes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ohlsson
authors.forename: Östen
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Ljunggren
authors.forename: Magnus K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Karlsson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012585:Sciatica / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology