title: Modifiable Risk Factors in Patients With Low Back Pain.
abstract: Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for physician visits in the United States and is a chief complaint frequently seen by orthopedic surgeons. Patients with chronic low back pain can experience recurring debilitating pain and disability, decreasing their quality of life. A commercially available software platform, Explorys (Explorys, Inc, Cleveland, Ohio), was used to mine a pooled electronic health care database consisting of the medical records of more than 26 million patients. According to the available medical history data, 1.2 million patients had a diagnosis of low back pain (4.54%). The information was used to determine the incidence of low back pain in patients with a history of nicotine dependence, obesity (body mass index, >30 kg/m(2)), depressive disorders, and alcohol abuse. Relative risk was then calculated for the defined modifiable risk factors. Patients with nicotine dependence, obesity, depressive disorders, and alcohol abuse had a relative risk of 4.489, 6.007, 5.511, and 3.326 for low back pain, respectively, compared with patients without the defined risk factor. A statistically significant difference was found in the incidence of low back pain between all 4 groups with the risk factors evaluated and the general population (P<.05). By determining treatable patient risk factors for low back pain, physicians can monitor at-risk patients and focus on prevention and control of debilitating disease. These approaches can decrease the number of patients with isolated low back pain who are seen by orthopedic surgeons. [Orthopedics. 2016; 39(3):e413-e416.].
authors.forename: Scott T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Shemory
authors.forename: Kiel J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Pfefferle
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Gradisar
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology