title: The presence of respiratory disorders in individuals with low back pain: A systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inspiratory muscles, such as the diaphragm, play a key role in both respiration and spinal control. Therefore, diaphragm dysfunctions are often related to low back pain (LBP). However, few is known on the association between the presence of LBP and the presence of respiratory disorders (RD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To perform a systematic review on the relation between RD and LBP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two reviewers searched on PubMed/MEDLINE for studies concerning LBP and RD, from 1950 up to January 2016. The search string consisted of the following key words: low back pain, dyspnea, respiratory problems, lung diseases, comorbidity, pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive, smoking, asthma, allergy, sinusitis, respiratory tract infection and hyperventilation. The aim was to evaluate a potential correlation, co-occurrence or causality between RD and LBP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 16 articles were included. A significant correlation between the presence of LBP and the presence of RD such as dyspnea, asthma, different forms of allergy, and respiratory infections was found. No correlation was found between Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and LBP, and no articles were found on the correlation between hyperventilation and LBP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study providing an overview of the literature on the relation between LBP and RD. Immunological, biomechanical, psychosocial and socio-economic factors might explain this correlation. Smoking is likely to contribute. Future studies must reveal the causative relationship.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapy, level 2a.
authors: University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Faculty of Medicine, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; University Hospitals Saint-Luc, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hippokrateslaan 10, 1200 Sint-Lambrecht-Woluwe, Belgium. Electronic address: Nele_Beeckmans@hotmail.com.
authors: Nele
authors: N
authors: Beeckmans
authors: University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Faculty of Medicine, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Astrid.Vermeersch@gmail.com.
authors: Astrid
authors: A
authors: Vermeersch
authors: University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Roeland.Lysens@uzleuven.be.
authors: Roeland
authors: R
authors: Lysens
authors: University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Peter.VanWambeke@uzleuven.be.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Van Wambeke
authors: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Tervuursevest 101 Box 1501, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Nina.Goossens@kuleuven.be.
authors: Nina
authors: N
authors: Goossens
authors: University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Tinne.Thys@uzleuven.be.
authors: Tinne
authors: T
authors: Thys
authors: University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Tervuursevest 101 Box 1501, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Simon.Brumagne@kuleuven.be.
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Brumagne
authors: KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Tervuursevest 101 Box 1501, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; Hasselt University, Biomedical Research Institute, Agoralaan A, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium. Electronic address: Lotte.Janssens@kuleuven.be.
authors: Lotte
authors: L
authors: Janssens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Asthma; Back pain; Comorbidities; Respiratory disorder; Smoking