title: Ability to discriminate between healthy and low back pain sufferers using ultrasound during maximum lumbar extension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the ability to discriminate between healthy individuals and individuals with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNLBP) by measuring the relation between patient-reported outcomes and objective clinical outcome measures of the erector spinae (ES) muscles using an ultrasound during maximal isometric lumbar extension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study with screening and diagnostic tests with no blinded comparison.
  
  
  METHODS
  University laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy individuals (n=33) and individuals with CNLBP (n=33).
  
  
  METHODS
  Each subject performed an isometric lumbar extension. With the variables measured, a discriminate analysis was performed using a value ≥ 6 in the Roland and Morris disability questionnaire (RMDQ) as the grouping variable. Then, a logistic regression with the functional and architectural variables was performed. A new index was obtained from each subject value input in the discriminate multivariate analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Morphologic muscle variables of the ES muscle were measured through ultrasound images. The reliability of the measures was calculated through intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). The relation between patient-reported outcomes and objective clinical outcome measures was analyzed using a discriminate function from standardized values of the variables and an analysis of the reliability of the ultrasound measurement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The reliability tests show an ICC value >.95 for morphologic and functional variables. The independent variables included in the analysis explained 42% (P=.003) of the dependent variable variance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relation between objective variables (electromyography, thickness, pennation angle) and a subjective variable (RMDQ ≥ 6) and the capacity of this relation to identify CNLBP within a group of healthy subjects is moderate. These results should be considered by clinicians when treating this type of patient in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: IBIMA, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Andalucia Tech, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain; School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: acuesta@uma.es.
authors.forename: Antonio I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Cuesta-Vargas
authors.affiliation: IBIMA, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Andalucia Tech, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González-Sánchez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059350:Chronic Pain; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Electromyography; Low back pain; Rehabilitation; Ultrasound