Characteristics of Chronic Low Back Pain in Patients in an Interventional Pain Management Setting: A Prospective Evaluation

Abstract

Chronic low back pain patients are seen in multiple practice settings and managed with a multitude of therapeutic interventions. Studies conducted by various groups have made some generalizations in the literature describing low back pain patients. However, there are no studies evaluating the demographic features of patients presenting to therapeutic interventional pain medicine programs. This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate and explore various demographic features of patients with chronic low back pain presenting to a therapeutic interventional pain medicine program. Two hundred patients were studied, with evaluation of demographic features of age, mode of onset of pain, work status, history of surgery, and pain characteristics. The results showed that, among patients presenting to an interventional pain medicine program, 17% are over 65 years of age: they are predominantly women; two thirds are either overweight or obese; the mean duration of pain is 7 years, predominantly involving multiple regions, with an average pain intensity of 7.6, significant associated psychological conditions; they have undergone multiple interventions, and were seen by, on average, six physicians; and the majority of patients were not employed, with 31% unemployed and 52% disabled or retired.