Chronic low back pain - KCE

168 Chronic low back pain KCE Reports vol.48
Some types of back diagnoses selected in our list of ICD-9-CM codes did not have any
match in the Intermedicale database:
722.8 : Postlaminectomy syndrome
732.0 : Juvenile osteochondrosis of spine
737 : Curvature of spine
737.1 : Kyphosis (acquired)
737.2 : Lordosis (acquired)
The most frequent diagnosis used by the physicians for a back complaint is the
Displacement of thoracic or lumbar inter vertebral disc without myelopathy (ICD-9-CM
code 722.1) with 38.8 % of the total cases, followed by the Lumbago (ICD-9-CM code
724.2) with 23.7 % of the total cases. Other diagnoses are less represented (< 10 % of the
total).
Back problems according to the socio-demographic, biological and
professional factors
In this sample (RTW examinations), the cause of absence due to a back problem is most
often a sick leave (86.7 %) and less frequently a work accident (13.3 %). Among the 2576
examinations for RTW after a sick leave, a back pain cause was more often recorded
(12.7 %) than among the 582 examinations for RTW after an occupational accident (9.1
%), and this difference was strongly significant (p=0.006).
The socio-demographic, individual and socio-professional characteristics of the sample are
shown in figure 16 and Table 34.
When comparing age, it can be seen that the mean age in the no back related RTW group
higher than in the back related RTW group (p=0.02), and much higher than that observed
in the group of workers undergoing periodical health evaluation (supposed to be healthier
and to be more representative of the whole worker population).
Table 34. Socio-demographic and socio-professional characteristics of sample
Age Period. Health
Ex. (n=38480)
Mean
± SD
40.4 years
± 10.7years
RTW Ex. all
(n=3198)
42.9 years
± 9.6 years
RTW Ex.
related to
back problems
(n=376)
41.8 years
± 9.6 years
RTW Ex. not
related to
back prob.
(n=2822)
43.0 years
± 9.6 years
P-value
0.02