Special Poster Session 51st International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine Annual Meeting 2025

Demographic and Biomedical Characteristics of Individuals with Chronic Low Back Pain Enrolled in the LB3P Study (115760)

Sara R Piva 1 2 , Clair N Smith 3 , Anthony Delitto 2 , Michael J Schneider 1 4 , Carol M Greco 2 5 , William J Anderst 3 , Kevin M Bell 6 , Gwendolyn A Sowa 3 7 , Nam Vo 3 , Jessa Darwin 7 , Gina P McKernan 7 , Meenakshi Sundaram 1 2 , Charity G Patterson 2
  1. Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
  2. Physical Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
  4. Doctor of Chiropractic Program, , University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
  5. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
  6. Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
  7. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States

Introduction

The chronic low back pain (cLBP) literature is sparse regarding comprehensive characterization of demographic and biomedical factors in a large sample of individuals. Here, we report on these characteristics of individuals enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal observational study that collected a broad dataset with the main aim to phenotype cLBP.1

 

Methods:

The key eligibility criteria were adults with cLBP2, English speakers, and availability of electronic health records. The main recruitment strategies were clinical partners inviting their patients to join the study and research registries. Participants completed demographic and biomedical surveys and descriptive statistics were computed for the sample.

 

Results:

N=1,007 individuals (60% female) were enrolled, with average age of 59 years. Most participants were non-Hispanic (90%), White (75%), and 53% attained college or higher education. 54% were married or had partner, 43% were employed, 38% retired, and 41% had annual household income <$50,000.  20% had been off work for >30 days due to LBP, 16% had applied for or received disability, and 6% were on worker’s compensation. The majority were obese (average BMI of 31.5 Kg/m2), 61% had back pain for >5 years and 76% had pain every day or nearly every day. Previous back surgery was reported by 25%, of which about half were lumbar fusions. There was a high prevalence of osteoarthritis (58%), balance problems (31%), and previous or current anxiety (40%) or depression (40%). Amongst the chronic overlapping pain conditions, the most common were migraine or headache (29%), irritable bowel syndrome (16%), and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (12%). The most common LBP treatments received during the last month were exercise done on their own (58%), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (43%), physical therapy, occupational therapy or chiropractic care (33%), mindfulness, meditation, or relaxation (22%), and diet (21%). Last month’s intake of opioid, SSRI/SNRI and gabapentin was 13%, 10%, and 18% respectively.

 

Discussion:

Compared to the U.S. Census, our sample had similar distribution for White and >one race, larger representation of African Americans, and smaller for Hispanics and Asians.3 Our representation of female, household income, relationship status, obesity, smoking history, and comorbidities were similar to a large epidemiologic study;4 whereas our sample had more retired and Medicare beneficiaries and higher education levels. These differences were likely due to the older age range in our study and recruiting in an academic setting affiliated with a medical center. The high prevalence of co-existing medical conditions emphasizes the relevance of properly managing these to improve outcome in cLBP. The use of opioid, NSAIDS and gabapentin was less the previously reported,5 likely reflecting the older age of our sample or the positive impact of recent opioid reducing campaigns.

 

This study is limited by enrolling participants from one site (Western Pennsylvania) and including more educated individuals than community-based epidemiologic studies. Strengths include attracting a representative number of older adults, as the prevalence and disability of cLBP increase with age. These results provide reference values in one of the most comprehensive characterizations of demographic and biomedical factors for clinical use and enhancing research planning.