title: [Quality of life assessment in patients with spinal radicular syndromes].
abstract: Spinal radicular syndromes are a serious healthcare issue in the society nowadays. A common form of ailments related to the syndromes is sciatica, manifesting with severe pain radiating along the course of the sciatic nerve or brachialgia manifesting with severe pain perceived from the cervical spine area, through the arm and often along the entire upper limb to the fingers. In many patients the pain limits the ability to perform daily routine at work and at home.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of study was to assess the quality of life in patients with radicular pain and its influence on their ability to function in daily life and at work. The Quality of Life Index was also determined for physical and mental health in the study group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study covered 50 patients, both male and female (25 women with age average 51 and 25 men with age average 54) suffering from medically documented spinal radicular syndromes. The Quality of life SF-36 questionnaire - Short Form Health Survey was used in the study, along with a supplement specifying the study group, with an indication of the pain location and the patients' occupations. Additionally, the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire - RM and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were applied. The results were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics, tests of significance of differences between the two populations, covariance analysis, and correlation meters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the female patients suffering from spinal radicular syndromes, the pathological process was most commonly located in the cervical spine, while in the male patients - in the lumbar spine. The Quality of Life index, at a statistically significant level (α < 0,05), is higher (hence the quality of life is lower) in females suffering from radicular pain. In the study group, age was a factor strongly correlated with the intensity of pain - the ailment progresses with age. In both groups, exacerbation of the disease process associated with spinal radicular syndromes hindered work performance and daily routines of the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ailments associated with spinal radicular syndromes affect the quality of life of the female patients studied in this research to a greater extent than the male patients, both in terms of mental and physical well-being. The intensity of pain associated with spinal radicular syndromes progresses with age.
authors.affiliation: Społeczna Akademia Nauk, Ośrodek Rehabilitacji w Piotrkowie Trybunalskim.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haładaj
authors.affiliation: Ośrodek Rehabilitacji w Piotrkowie Trybunalskim; Pracownia Pedagogiki Terapeutycznej Uniwersytetu Jana Kochanowskiego w Kielcach, filia w Piotrkowie Trybunalskim.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pignot
authors.affiliation: Ośrodek Rehabilitacji w Piotrkowie Trybunalskim, Pracownia Pedagogiki Terapeutycznej Uniwersytetu Jana Kochanowskiego w Kielcach, filia w Piotrkowie Trybunalskim.
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pignot
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011788:Quality of Life; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013577:Syndrome
keywords: RM questionnaire; SF-36 questionnaire; VAS for pain; back pain; quality of life assessment; spinal radicular syndromes