Risk Factors Associated With Transition From Acute to Chronic Low Back Pain in US Patients Seeking Primary Care.

Importance: Acute low back pain (LBP) is highly prevalent, with a presumed favorable prognosis; however, once chronic, LBP becomes a disabling and expensive condition. Acute to chronic LBP transition rates vary widely owing to absence of standardized operational definitions, and it is unknown whether a standardized prognostic tool (ie, Subgroups for Targeted Treatment Back tool [SBT]) can estimate this transition or whether early non-guideline concordant treatment is associated with the transition to chronic LBP. Objective: To assess the associations between the transition from acute to chronic LBP with SBT risk strata; demographic, clinical, and practice characteristics; and guideline nonconcordant processes of care. Design, Setting, and Participants: This inception cohort study was conducted alongside a multisite, pragmatic cluster randomized trial. Adult patients with acute LBP stratified by SBT risk were enrolled in 77 primary care practices in 4 regions across the United States between May 2016 and June 2018 and followed up for 6 months, with final follow-up completed by March 2019. Data analysis was conducted from January to March 2020. Exposures: SBT risk strata and early LBP guideline nonconcordant processes of care (eg, receipt of opioids, imaging, and subspecialty referral). Main Outcomes and Measures: Transition from acute to chronic LBP at 6 months using the National Institutes of Health Task Force on Research Standards consensus definition of chronic LBP. Patient demographic characteristics, clinical factors, and LBP process of care were obtained via electronic medical records. Results: Overall, 5233 patients with acute LBP (3029 [58%] women; 4353 [83%] White individuals; mean [SD] age 50.6 [16.9] years; 1788 [34%] low risk; 2152 [41%] medium risk; and 1293 [25%] high risk) were included. Overall transition rate to chronic LBP at six months was 32% (1666 patients). In a multivariable model, SBT risk stratum was positively associated with transition to chronic LBP (eg, high-risk vs low-risk groups: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.45; 95% CI, 2.00-2.98; P < .001). Patient and clinical characteristics associated with transition to chronic LBP included obesity (aOR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.28-1.80; P < .001); smoking (aOR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.29-1.89; P < .001); severe and very severe baseline disability (aOR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.48-2.24; P < .001 and aOR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.60-2.68; P < .001, respectively) and diagnosed depression/anxiety (aOR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.28-2.15; P < .001). After controlling for all other variables, patients exposed to 1, 2, or 3 nonconcordant processes of care within the first 21 days were 1.39 (95% CI, 1.21-2.32), 1.88 (95% CI, 1.53-2.32), and 2.16 (95% CI, 1.10-4.25) times more likely to develop chronic LBP compared with those with no exposure (P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, the transition rate to chronic LBP was substantial and increased correspondingly with SBT stratum and early exposure to guideline nonconcordant care.

Physical Therapy or Advanced Imaging as First Management Strategy Following a New Consultation for Low Back Pain in Primary Care: Associations with Future Health Care Utilization and Charges.

OBJECTIVE: Compare health care utilization and charges for low-back-pain (LBP) patients receiving advanced imaging or physical therapy as a first management strategy following a new primary care consultation. DATA SOURCE: Electronic medical record (EMR) and insurance claims data. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of propensity-matched groups. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION: Claims and EMR data were used. Utilization and LBP-related charges over a 1-year period were extracted from claims data. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the propensity-matched sample (n = 406), advanced imaging recipients had higher odds of all utilization outcomes. Charges were higher with advanced imaging by an average $4,793 (95 percent CI: $3,676, $5,910). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with LBP whom newly consulted primary care referred for additional management, advanced imaging as a first management was associated with higher health care utilization and charges than physical therapy.

Initial management decisions after a new consultation for low back pain: implications of the usage of physical therapy for subsequent health care costs and utilization.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the utilization of physical therapy following a new primary care consultation for low back pain (LBP) and to examine the relations between physical therapy utilization and other variables with health care utilization and costs in the year after consultation. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort obtained from electronic medical records and insurance claims data. SETTING: Single health care delivery system. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals (N=2184) older than 18 years with a new consultation for LBP from 2004 to 2008. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were categorized as receiving initial physical therapy management if care occurred within 14 days after consultation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total health care costs for all LBP-related care received in the year after consultation were calculated from claims data. Predictors of utilization of emergency care, advanced imaging, epidural injections, specialist visits, and surgery were identified using multivariate logistic regression. The generalized linear model was used to compare LBP-related costs based on physical therapy utilization and identify other cost determinants. RESULTS: Initial physical therapy was received by 286 of the 2184 patients (13.1%), and was not a determinant of LBP-related health care costs or utilization of specific services in the year after consultation. Older age, mental health, or neck pain comorbidity and initial management with opioids were determinants of cost and several utilization outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Initial physical therapy management was not associated with increased health care costs or utilization of specific services following a new primary care LBP consultation. Additional research is needed to examine the cost consequences of initial management decisions made following a new consultation for LBP.

Utilization and clinical outcomes of outpatient physical therapy for medicare beneficiaries with musculoskeletal conditions.

BACKGROUND: Medicare beneficiaries frequently receive physical therapy for musculoskeletal conditions. Little information is available about this care. OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were: (1) to describe characteristics, clinical outcomes, and utilization for Medicare beneficiaries receiving physical therapy in outpatient clinics within one integrated health care system; (2) to compare characteristics, outcomes, and utilization based on the body region affected; and (3) to examine factors predictive of outcomes and utilization. DESIGN: This was a prospective, longitudinal study. METHODS: Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older (n=1,840 episodes of care) participated in the study. Descriptive statistics were calculated for patient characteristics and outcomes. Comparisons were made based on body region. Regression models evaluated factors associated with change in pain, improved outcome, and utilization. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 74.2 years (SD=6.3), and 65.3% were female. The most common body regions were the lumbar spine, shoulder, and knee, collectively accounting for 71.3% of the episodes of care. Patients attended a mean of 6.8 visits (SD=4.7), and 63.9% experienced an improved outcome. Episodes of care for lumbar spine conditions had less reduction in pain, whereas shoulder conditions and foot/ankle conditions showed the greatest improvement. Care for hip conditions was least likely to result in an improved outcome. Knee conditions were most likely to have an improved outcome. Care for shoulder and knee conditions had the highest number of visits. Factors associated with greater reduction in pain and improved outcomes included greater initial pain or disability and attending more visits. Factors associated with greater utilization included a postsurgical condition and higher initial pain rating. Limitations The study was performed in one geographic region within a single health care delivery system. CONCLUSION: The results provide information on outcomes of physical therapy for Medicare beneficiaries in one health care system. Further research is needed to examine optimal utilization and care for these patients.

Physical therapy for acute low back pain: associations with subsequent healthcare costs.

STUDY DESIGN: Case-control. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between adherence to the evidence-based recommendation for active physical therapy care and clinical outcomes along with subsequent healthcare utilization and charges for 1 year after completion of physical therapy. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Low back pain (LBP) is a common condition associated with high costs. Many patients with acute LBP receive physical therapy. The type of physical therapy care provided may impact subsequent healthcare costs. METHODS: A retrospective review was undertaken of patients age 18-60 with acute (<90 days) LBP receiving physical therapy covered by 1 insurance provider. Adherence to the recommendation for active care was determined from billing records. Disability (Oswestry) and pain (numerical pain rating) were assessed at the beginning and completion of physical therapy. Subsequent healthcare utilization for LBP and charges were recorded from insurer's databases. RESULTS: Four hundred and seventy-one patients were included (mean age 41.2 years [SD = 11.0], 54% female), 28.0% received adherent care. Patients receiving adherent care had fewer physical therapy visits (mean difference 1.3 visits, P < 0.05) with lower charges (nontransformed mean difference $167, P < 0.05), greater improvement in pain (mean difference 12.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.2-21.3) and disability (mean difference 17.6%, 95% CI: 11.1-24.1). During the year after discharge, receiving adherent care was associated with a lower likelihood of receiving prescription medication (46.2% vs. 57.2%, P < 0.05), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (8.3% vs. 15.9%, P < 0.05), or epidural injections (5.3% vs. 12.1%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Adherence to the recommendation for active care was associated with better clinical outcomes and decreased subsequent use of prescription medication, MRI, and injections. Improving adherence to this recommendation may present an opportunity to improve the cost-effectiveness of care for acute LBP.