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Correlation between disability and MRI findings in lumbar spinal stenosis A prospective study of 109 patients operated on by decompression

Sigmundsson, Freyr Gauti LU ; Kang, Xiao P ; Jönsson, Bo and Strömqvist, Björn LU (2011) In Acta Orthopaedica 82(2). p.204-210
Abstract
Background and purpose MRI is the modality of choice when diagnosing spinal stenosis but it also shows that stenosis is prevalent in asymptomatic subjects over 60. The relationship between preoperative health-related quality of life, functional status, leg and back pain, and the objectively measured dural sac area in single and multilevel stenosis is unknown. We assessed this relationship in a prospective study. Patients and methods The cohort included 109 consecutive patients with central spinal stenosis operated on with decompressive laminectomy or laminotomy. Preoperatively, all patients completed the questionnaires for EQ-5D, SF-36, Oswestry disability index (ODI), estimated walking distance and leg and back pain (VAS). The... (More)
Background and purpose MRI is the modality of choice when diagnosing spinal stenosis but it also shows that stenosis is prevalent in asymptomatic subjects over 60. The relationship between preoperative health-related quality of life, functional status, leg and back pain, and the objectively measured dural sac area in single and multilevel stenosis is unknown. We assessed this relationship in a prospective study. Patients and methods The cohort included 109 consecutive patients with central spinal stenosis operated on with decompressive laminectomy or laminotomy. Preoperatively, all patients completed the questionnaires for EQ-5D, SF-36, Oswestry disability index (ODI), estimated walking distance and leg and back pain (VAS). The cross-sectional area of the dural sac was measured at relevant disc levels in mm(2), and spondylolisthesis was measured in mm. For comparison, the area of the most narrow level, the number of levels with dural sac area < 70 mm(2), and spondylolisthesis were studied. Results Before surgery, patients with central spinal stenosis had low HRLQoL and functional status, and high pain levels. Patients with multilevel stenosis had better general health (p = 0.04) and less leg and back pain despite having smaller dural sac area than patients with single-level stenosis. There was a poor correlation between walking distance, ODI, the SF-36, EQ-5D, and leg and back pain levels on the one hand and dural sac area on the other. Women more often had multilevel spinal stenosis (p = 0.05) and spondylolisthesis (p < 0.001). Spondylolisthetic patients more often had small dural sac area (p = 0.04) and multilevel stenosis (p = 0.06). Interpretation Our findings indicate that HRQoL, function, and pain measured preoperatively correlate with morphological changes on MRI to a limited extent. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Acta Orthopaedica
volume
82
issue
2
pages
204 - 210
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000289170900014
  • pmid:21434811
  • scopus:79953815594
  • pmid:21434811
ISSN
1745-3682
DOI
10.3109/17453674.2011.566150
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
64f70d2f-c471-4c98-b2fd-68776b56d6c1 (old id 1883491)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21434811?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:21:28
date last changed
2022-04-14 17:22:26
@article{64f70d2f-c471-4c98-b2fd-68776b56d6c1,
  abstract     = {{Background and purpose MRI is the modality of choice when diagnosing spinal stenosis but it also shows that stenosis is prevalent in asymptomatic subjects over 60. The relationship between preoperative health-related quality of life, functional status, leg and back pain, and the objectively measured dural sac area in single and multilevel stenosis is unknown. We assessed this relationship in a prospective study. Patients and methods The cohort included 109 consecutive patients with central spinal stenosis operated on with decompressive laminectomy or laminotomy. Preoperatively, all patients completed the questionnaires for EQ-5D, SF-36, Oswestry disability index (ODI), estimated walking distance and leg and back pain (VAS). The cross-sectional area of the dural sac was measured at relevant disc levels in mm(2), and spondylolisthesis was measured in mm. For comparison, the area of the most narrow level, the number of levels with dural sac area &lt; 70 mm(2), and spondylolisthesis were studied. Results Before surgery, patients with central spinal stenosis had low HRLQoL and functional status, and high pain levels. Patients with multilevel stenosis had better general health (p = 0.04) and less leg and back pain despite having smaller dural sac area than patients with single-level stenosis. There was a poor correlation between walking distance, ODI, the SF-36, EQ-5D, and leg and back pain levels on the one hand and dural sac area on the other. Women more often had multilevel spinal stenosis (p = 0.05) and spondylolisthesis (p &lt; 0.001). Spondylolisthetic patients more often had small dural sac area (p = 0.04) and multilevel stenosis (p = 0.06). Interpretation Our findings indicate that HRQoL, function, and pain measured preoperatively correlate with morphological changes on MRI to a limited extent.}},
  author       = {{Sigmundsson, Freyr Gauti and Kang, Xiao P and Jönsson, Bo and Strömqvist, Björn}},
  issn         = {{1745-3682}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{204--210}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Acta Orthopaedica}},
  title        = {{Correlation between disability and MRI findings in lumbar spinal stenosis A prospective study of 109 patients operated on by decompression}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/17453674.2011.566150}},
  doi          = {{10.3109/17453674.2011.566150}},
  volume       = {{82}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}