Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Predictors of Return to Work After Spinal Surgery for Chronic Low Back and Leg Pain
(2022) The Journal of Pain — Vol. 23, n° 8, p. 1318-1342 (2022)
Files
Halickaetal2022JPain.pdf
published article
Open Access - Adobe PDF
- 1.82 MB
Details
- Authors
Halicka, Monika 
Duarte, Rui Catherall, Sharon
- Abstract
- Spinal surgeries to treat chronic low back pain (CLBP) have variable success rates, and despite the significant personal and socioeconomic implications, we lack consensus for prognostic factors. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the evidence for preoperative predictors of return to work (RTW) after spinal surgery for CLBP. We searched electronic databases and references (January 1984 to March 2021), screened 2,622 unique citations, and included 8 reports (5 low and 3 high risk-of-bias) which involved adults with ≥3 months duration of CLBP with/without leg pain undergoing first elective lumbar surgery with RTW assessed ≥3 months later. Narrative synthesis and meta-analysis where possible found that individuals less likely to RTW were older (odds ratio [OR] = .58; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.46–0.72), not working before surgery, had longer sick leave (OR = .95; 95% CI: 0.93–0.97), higher physical workload, legal representation (OR = .61; 95% CI: 0.53–0.71), psychiatric comorbidities and depression (moderate quality-of-evidence, QoE), and longer CLBP duration and opioid use (low QoE), independent of potential confounders. Low quality and small number of studies limit our confidence in other associations. In conclusion, RTW after spinal surgery for CLBP likely depends on sociodemographic and affective psychological factors, and potentially also on symptom duration and opioid use.
- Affiliations
University of Liverpool
Citations
Halicka, M., Duarte, R., Catherall, S., Maden, M., Coetsee, M., Wilby, M., & Brown, C. (2022). Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Predictors of Return to Work After Spinal Surgery for Chronic Low Back and Leg Pain. The Journal of Pain, 23(8), 1318-1342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2022.02.003 (Original work published 2022)