Relationship between age, gender and low back pain in patients referred for magnetic resonance imaging of lumbosacral spine at ahmadu bello university teaching hospital, Zaria

Abstract

Context: Low back pain (LBP) is a symptom of many lumbosacral spine abnormalities which are prevalent in all occupational groups in our environment. Its frequency and severity are significantly related to age and gender. Aims: To determine the relationship between age, gender and LBP in patients referred for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of lumbosacral spine. Settings and Design: A cross sectional study at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted within 4 years at the MRI suite of the Department of Radiology, on 200 patients who had LBP who had MRI scan. Statistical analysis used: Data from the questionnaires were sorted and entered into Microsoft Excel. Analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 22.0. Results: There is male preponderance, with a male to female ratio of 1.6:1. The ages ranged from 11 to 80 years, with a mean of 47.8 + 1.4, and the peak incidence (55 [27.5%]) is in the fourth and fifth decades of life. A statistically significant association (χ2 = 33.9; P