The impact of low back pain on health-related quality of life in old age: results from a survey of a large sample of Swiss elders living in the community.

PURPOSE: The present study aims at investigating the effects of low back pain (LBP), i.e., type of symptoms, activity limitations, frequency, duration, and severity on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a sample of 707 community-dwelling men and women aged ≥ 65 years living in Switzerland. METHODS: The study is part of a larger survey conducted in Switzerland on a sample of older adults selected randomly from population records, stratified by age and sex. The Standardized Back Pain Definition was used to investigate LBP, and HRQoL was assessed by means of the EQ-5D, including Health Utility Index (HUI) measures. RESULTS: For more than half of the sufferers, pain was chronic, occurred most days or every day and induced activity limitations. One-third of the sufferers reported sciatica symptoms. Individuals reporting every day pain, severe pain and more than 3 years since the last episode without pain lost nearly 10 points of HRQoL. Amongst the dimension of HRQoL, Mobility was the most affected by LBP. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide further insight into the impact of qualitative aspects of LBP and in particular the importance of radiating leg pain and pain frequency and duration. While LBP-related activity limitations had little impact on both self-rated overall health and HUI, radiating leg pain and pain frequency and duration were associated with significantly decreased scores on both dimensions.

Low back pain and health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

PURPOSE: Investigation of self-reported of low back pain (LBP) over the last month and associated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a sample of a community-dwelling population aged ≥65. METHODS: Cross-sectional study including older adults selected randomly from population records. Data were collected within a sample stratified by age and sex. Physical and psychological healths were investigated using a standardized definition of LBP and the EuroQoL-5D for HRQoL. Analyses were first conducted on the entire sample (N = 3042) and subsequently considering the subsample who reported LBP and a paired sample drawn from the pool of LBP-free respondents. RESULTS: 889 (29 %) respondents reported LBP within the past month, present 'most days' or 'every day' in 52 % and limiting activities in the same proportion. Average pain score was 4.6 (SD 2.2; 0-10 scale). Age was associated with pain frequency and duration, with younger groups more often reporting pain 'some days' and 'dating back <3 months'. Results of regression analyses showed that individuals suffering from LBP had significantly more problems than LBP non-sufferers on all EQ-5D subscales, except self-care: pain/discomfort (OR 5.33; 95 % CI [4.19-6.79]), mobility (OR 2.66; 95 % CI [2.04-3.46]), usual activities (OR 1.92; 95 % CI [1.42-2.60]), anxiety/depression (OR 1.59; 95 % CI [1.23-2.04]) and self-care (OR 1.29; 95 % CI [0.84-1.98]). CONCLUSION: LBP appears to be a more permanent condition in the older groups. LBP may be a part of the definition of a subgroup of elderly at risk of becoming frail in relation with higher levels of functional limitations, psychological difficulties and social restrictions, hence globally impaired HRQoL.

Core Outcome Measure Index for low back patients: do we miss anxiety and depression?

PURPOSE: The Core Outcome Measure Index (COMI) is a multidimensional questionnaire that investigates five dimensions in low back pain (LBP) patients, but does not address the psychological dimension. As the biopsychosocial perspective is recognized as important to capture the entire clinical picture of these patients, this multicenter prospective cohort study was designed to investigate the psychometric properties of a modified version of the COMI (COMIAD) which included 2 additional items, exploring anxiety and depression, respectively. METHODS: 168 subacute or chronic LBP patients recruited in spine clinics completed a set of questionnaires before and after treatment (follow-up at 6 months). Construct validity was explored by comparing each item of the COMIAD to validated full-length questionnaires. Thus two additional questionnaires were included to assess the construct validity of the anxiety and depression measures. The psychometric properties of the COMI and COMIAD were then compared. RESULTS: The two new items showed good internal consistency, high correlations with the corresponding full-length questionnaires, no floor or ceiling effect and good reproducibility (test-retest agreement kappa 0.68 for anxiety, 0.62 for depression). The addition of the 2 items did not alter internal validity (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88 and 0.87, respectively). The smallest detectable difference, the Minimal Clinically Important Improvement and the Patient Acceptable Symptom State were only minimally affected by the changes. CONCLUSION: The questions exploring anxiety and depression have good intrinsic and psychometric capacities (i.e., no floor or ceiling effects and high correlations with full-length scales) and did not significantly modify the psychometrics of the original COMI questionnaire. The COMIAD offers the possibility to include the psychological dimension in the multidimensional evaluation without significantly affecting questionnaire length.

How much does the Dallas Pain Questionnaire score have to improve to indicate that patients with chronic low back pain feel better or well?

PURPOSE: The Dallas Pain Questionnaire (DPQ) assesses the impact of low back pain (LBP) on four components (0-100) of daily life. We estimated the minimal clinically important improvement (MCII) and the patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) values of DPQ in LBP patients. METHODS: 142 patients with LBP lasting for at least 4 weeks completed a battery of questionnaires at baseline and 6 months later. Questions for MCII addressed patient-reported response to treatment at 6 months on a five-point Likert scale, while a yes/no question concerning satisfaction with present state was used to determine PASS. MCII was computed as the difference in mean DPQ scores between patients reporting treatment as effective vs. patients reporting treatment as not effective, and PASS was computed as the third quartile of the DPQ score among patients who reported being satisfied with their present state. RESULTS: MCII values were 22, 23, 2 and 10 for daily activities, work and leisure, social interest, and anxiety/depression, respectively. PASS values were 29, 23, 20 and 21 for the four components, respectively. The PASS total score threshold of 24 correctly classified 84.1 % of the patients who reported being unsatisfied with their present state, and 74.7 % of patients reported being satisfied. CONCLUSIONS: These values give information of paramount importance for clinicians in interpreting change in DPQ values over time. Authors should be encouraged to report the percentage of patients who reach MCII and PASS values in randomized clinical trials and cohort studies to help clinicians to interpret clinical results.

Aggressiveness of cancer treatment in patients hospitalized in a supportive care unit.

PURPOSE: This study aimed at determining the aggressiveness of chemotherapy (CT)in patients hospitalized in a supportive care unit (focusing on mortality, patient profiles, survival, readmissions, and CT near death). METHODS: In a prospective cohort study, 247 consecutive patients were investigated at the admission (disease, treatments, oncologist's theoretical survival prognosis, internist's clinical global impression (CGI)). A 3-and 6-month follow-up was performed. Survival was assessed up to 3 years. RESULTS: Various cancer diagnoses were represented in polymorbid patients. Since disease onset, 69.6 % had received a first line of CT only; 147 patients (59.5 %) had CT at the admission; median CGI was 3 (range = 0-10); and theoretical survival prognosis was <12 months in 65.2 %. In-hospital mortality rate was 21 %. Odds of receiving CT was inversely associated with age (OR for patients ≥ 71 years vs. patients <50 years 0.19; 95 % CI 0.06-0.65; p = 0.02) and number of previous CT lines (OR for patients with 2-4 lines vs. those with 1 line 0.14; 95 % CI 0.06-0.34; p = 0.000). In the multi-adjusted model, 6-month survival remained associated with CT at the admission (HR 1.86; 95 % CI 1.31-2.65; p = 0.001), CGI (per point HR 0.84; 95 % CI 0.73-0.96; p = 0.013), and theoretical survival prognosis (per category HR 0.53; 95 % CI 0.44-0.66; p = 0.000). Very few patients needed readmission related to CT's adverse effects. From admission and throughout follow-up, 24 patients (9.7 %) had received CT during their last 14 days of life. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a supportive care program can benefit a heterogeneous population as it contributes to assess clinical risks and benefits of CT and prevent aggressive care near death.

Thoughts and concerns of patients at hospital discharge after lumbar spine surgery. A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: The increased rate of surgical interventions point to the necessity to investigate the patient's experience from a biopsychosocial perspective. The aim of this study was to investigate the thoughts and concerns of patients undergoing spinal surgery for lumbar degenerative disease at the time of their discharge from hospital. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 patients. The questions investigated possible concerns associated to discharging them home. A content analysis was performed by a multidisciplinary group to identify the main themes that emerged from the interviews. RESULTS: The patients were satisfied with the surgeons' preoperative explanations and description of expected prognosis. However, they were disappointed with the lack of information at hospital discharge, in particular regarding practical and behavioral recommendations. The patients expressed clear concerns about being left alone to deal with possible complications or difficulties they may encounter when returning home. CONCLUSION: This study underlined the patients' need for a comprehensive psychological guidance and possibly a person of reference during the post-operative process. Discussing discharge with the patient was emphasized as an important issue to improve patients' compliance to the recovery process itself. Putting these elements into practice should help spine surgeons to manage better hospital discharge.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONA comprehensive discussion with the patient at the time of hospital discharge is clearly stressed as an important issue to improve patients' adherence to the recovery process.The patients complained of a lack of information when returning home, in particular regarding practical and behavioral recommendations.The patients expressed clear concerns about possible complications or difficulties they may encounter when returning home and they expressed their need to know whom they can contact for help if needed.A better understanding of the thoughts and concerns of patients undergoing spinal surgery at the time of their discharge from hospital should help spine surgeons to improve the management of hospital discharge and the post-operative recovery.

[Postural hygiene and ergonomic advices for low back pain: rethinking our practice]. / Hygiène posturale et économie rachidienne dans la lombalgie commune--une pratique à repenser.

In recent years, scientific understanding of low back pain has increased considerably, sometimes shoving concepts thought to be unshakable. If we consider postural hygiene,whose techniques were conceptualized in the 70's and are still widely used, not only some axioms were not confirmed but some evidences suggest that it may sometimes have deleterious effects. After reviewing these elements it appears that there is no simple formula applicable to all patients with low back pain. Instead we offer food for thought so that every therapist can adapt his practice on an individual basis.

[Interdisciplinary treatment of chronic low back pain: psychological aspects and personality traits]. / Traitement interdisciplinaire des lombalgies chroniques: aspects psychologiques et de personnalité.

Evidence on chronic low back pain treatments stresses the need for a multidimensional approach that aims a biopsychosocial rehabilitation. The caregiver team of the rheumatology division of the University Hospitals of Geneva has successfully applied this approach over the last years and this article emphasizes the value of a close collaboration with the division of liaison psychiatry. The use of cognitive-behavioral and psycho-educational techniques guaranties the definition of patient-centred and measurable treatment objectives. The inclusion of a psychotherapy group promotes free expression and sharing of psychological distress. Assessment of personality traits allows for considering the global nature of the patients rather than merely aiming the normalization of their deviant aspects.

[Placebo, an underestimated ally]. / Le placebo, un allié mésestimé...

Patients' views and patient-oriented outcomes are increasingly acknowledged, including beliefs about pain and illness, and expectations of treatment. Indeed, how far patient expectations influence outcomes has developed into an important area of research, and all the more so as the impact of expectations on subjective outcome is related to the placebo effects; indeed, expectations can both mediate and modulate these effects. Surgery has been suggested as conveying a placebo effect related to the ceremony of surgical preparation, the use of sophisticated techniques and the need for hospitalization possibly leading to increased pain management, more active sympathy and disease recognition.

[Chronic pain in elderly people: psychosocial dimension]. / Douleurs chroniques chez les personnes âgées: dimensions psychologiques.

Chronic pain in elderly people requires to take into account somatic co-morbidities as well as its psychosocial dimensions. Chronic pain often represents a distress signal addressed to the environment and the care providers. Psychological suffering or mood disorders can be presented in the form of somatic complaints often associated with functional impairments, sometimes severe. Therapeutic care has to address functionality through an image-enhancing approach aiming to summon the patients' resources. The treatment of a concomitant depressive state necessitates a true commitment from the therapist. Its benefits are documented in elderly patients. Analgesic treatment as a whole will seek in particular to restore feelings of self-esteem and help the patient recover a good quality of life.

Difficulties of residents in training in end-of-life care. A qualitative study.

Residents in training are first-line physicians in hospital settings and they are in the process of developing knowledge and mastering clinical skills. They have to confront complex tasks calling upon their personal background, professional identity and relationships with the patients. We conducted a qualitative study investigating the difficulties they perceive in end-of-life care. In all, 24 consecutive residents were presented with a written query asking them to indicate the difficulties they identify in the management of patients hospitalised for end-of-life care. Their responses were submitted to content analysis. Physicians' mean age was 28 +/- 2.2 years, 37% were women, average postgraduate training duration was 2.5 +/- 1.3 years. Content analysis elicited eight categories of difficulties: ability to provide adequate explanations, understand the patients' needs, have sufficient theoretical knowledge, avoid flight, avoid false reassurance, manage provision of time, face one's limits as a physician and be able to help despite everything. Residents' responses showed that they identify the complexity of care in terminally-ill patients early in their training. Their responses pointed to the 'right distance' in-between getting involved and preserving oneself as a dimension of major importance.

[Cognitive and behavioral group therapy in chronic pain: expectations and satisfactions]. / Thérapie cognitivo-comportementale de groupe et douleur chronique: attentes et satisfactions.

Twenty-two patients suffering from chronic pain have participated to a behavioural and cognitive group therapy, over 8 weekly sessions, each of 90 minutes. Semi-structured interviews revealed that all of their expectations were satisfied, except for pain decrease. Although they had often negatively anticipated the group situation, all patients evaluated positively the experience: they felt less lonely; they were listen to and understood by the other participants. After 3 months, 80% of the patients had modified some of their daily behaviours. After 12 months, 55% of the patients witnessed a lasting change over the impact that pain had on their life. Even if patients expect a decrease of their pain, disappointment is not an obstacle to the process of change.

[Chronic pain and depression]. / Douleurs chroniques et dépression: un aller-retour?

Chronic pain and depression are frequently associated. Links between them are numerous and well documented. It is known for example that depression is associated with a greater number and higher intensity of pain symptoms. Similarly the presence of pain complicates the diagnostic evaluation and aggravates the prognosis of depression. The question of the causality link has no clear answer. Taking care of these patients implies to acknowledge the different aspects of their suffering in a holistic bio-psycho-social model. Treatment or medication, for instance antidepressants, should be a post-scriptum to the construction of a therapeutic relationship.

[Practical lessons from group treatment in low back pain patients]. / Queues leçons pratiques tirer des traitements en groupe de la lombalgie commune?

Multidisciplinary group therapies for low back pain patients have been devised for more than 30 years. Various models have been developed during this period, resulting in multiple programmes with varying effectiveness. Taking the opportunity of the establishment of a new programme at the Geneva University Hospitals, we reviewed these various models and listed the most prevailing elements in the literature. The summary presented here illustrates the hurdles in the treatment of low back pain patients. It underlines the numerous orientations available to the clinician and offers some indications for improving the treatment in these patients.

Pain patients' letters: The visit before the visit - A qualitative analysis of letters from patients referred to a tertiary pain center.

BACKGROUND: Pain centers manage only selected patients, and have long waiting lists. Some patients spontaneously send letters, before the visit, and these letters represent the first contact between the patients and the pain centers. We report a study of the content and format of these letters, for a patient perspective analysis. METHODS: During a 3 month-period, all newly referred patients to a tertiary pain center were considered. If a patient letter was provided, it was collected for analysis. Qualitative analyses including semantic and content analyses were performed to identify themes and categories. RESULTS: Among 138 newly referred patients, 44 had sent a letter before consultation. Content analysis of 42 letters disclosed four themes: I) pain experience; II) impact of the pain problem; III) patient history; and IV) expectations. These themes could be distributed along four pain dimensions: (1) physical; (2) psycho-affective; (3) social; and (4) temporal. This first study on patient letters reveals that a bio-psychosocial model. Patients contribute actively to their trajectory, not only as healthcare seekers but also by constructing their narrative identity. CONCLUSIONS: Patient letters constitute narrative material to be integrated into clinical analysis, alongside patient interviews, especially in pain management. Pain specialists should take account of this narrative approach to better understand the unvoiced and sometimes silent experience of pain. This may increase quality of medical care by including patient-centered data in an original method. Further studies may be valuable to analyze the possible contributions of such letters to patient management. SIGNIFICANCE: Patients' letters constitute original narrative material to be integrated into clinical analysis, especially for pain management. Patients' letters analyses may improve the patient physician relationship, by understanding patient's perspectives, beliefs and expectations.

[Drugs--of molecules and relationships]. / Les médicaments--des molécules et des relations.

Drugs have always been both medicine and poison. Their function is cure but they can also kill; they have desired but also adverse effects. Drugs can be defined as technical objects which use is inserted within a set of representations, practices and social relationships. Acting as a mediator--and sometimes as an issue--in the relationship, medication and its use are far from the rational management of drugs as defined by public health authorities. The matter at stake can also be the legitimation of illness or pain. As a means of legitimation, psychotropic drugs raise specific questions as there is no objectivation of symptoms, be them mood changes or pain, aside from the patient's account.

How to identify patients with a poor prognosis in daily clinical practice.

Predicting poor outcomes in daily practice is challenging. As well as prior episodes of low back pain and pain intensity, various psychosocial risk factors have been identified, although the independent prognostic value of these is rather low. This supports the necessity for a multidimensional view of the transition from acute to chronic pain and/or the development of disability. Psychological distress has been found to increase the risk of such a transition. Patients' beliefs and expectations about their pain seem to influence the recovery process; pain-related fear and fear avoidance can be influential psychological variables, from pain inception to its chronic stage. The influence of occupational factors such as job satisfaction, low workplace support or physical workload has also been emphasized. Treatment provider factors and the relationship between patients and care providers also contribute to the realistic or unrealistic expectations and meaningful or acceptable outcomes.

[Length of hospital stay, discharge planning, and policy regarding the shortening of hospital stays: patients'and hospital care providers'point of view]. / Durée d'hospitalisation, programmation de la sortie et politique de raccourcissement des séjours: avis des patients et des soignants.

BACKGROUND: In the context of health care cost containment, we interviewed hospitalized patients and their health care teams concerning the length of stay they considered necessary and hospital discharge. Patients were also interviewed on the present tendency to shorten hospital stays. METHODS: Prospective study conducted in a subacute internal medicine ward with 254 consecutive patients and their health care teams. RESULTS: The mean evaluation of the length of stay considered as necessary was not significantly different between patients (9.7 days, SD=9.5) and their health care teams (9.6, SD=8.5). However, agreement between the two parties was moderate (r=0.64). Hospital discharge was considered as planned in similar proportions (18% vs 22% respectively), but was reported as more 'assured' by health care teams than by patients (p<0.001). Health care teams and patients approved discharge planning in 200 cases (63.3%), but agreement was only moderate (Kappa 0.43, IC 95%=0.34-0.51). Regarding the tendency to shorten hospital stays, patients'responses were favorable in only 9%, clearly unfavorable in 17% and disclosed explicit fears in 54% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that what patients and health care teams consider the necessary length of stay and the right time for hospital discharge can diverge notably. They highlight the difficulties of medical decisions in the context of cost containment, and the fundamentally asymmetrical character of the relationship between patients and health care teams.

Volition and low back pain: When patients talk.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to explore, describe and understand volition of chronic low back pain (LBP) patients, highlighting barriers and facilitators to practicing regular physical activity in order to develop a questionnaire assessing those volitional competencies. METHODS: A content analysis of semi-structured interviews with 30 chronic LBP patients was performed. Participants were asked about their pain, motivation, physical abilities, barriers and facilitators to regular exercises and finally strategies implemented to achieve the exercise program. RESULTS: Patients often reported that they were motivated and that exercises had no negative effects on LBP. Many patients recognized having difficulties performing all their exercises regularly. The main barriers were: lack of time, fatigue, lack of visible results, pain and other daily priorities. The main facilitators were: group exercise, help from the therapist, strategic planning, favorable environment, pleasure associated with exercises, fear of pain recurrence and pain itself. CONCLUSION: Content analysis showed that sharing stories allowed patients to express their experience of LBP in their own words. It provides a solid ground to develop a questionnaire assessing volitional competencies in chronic LBP patients in order to identify patients who will not realize their exercises and help them be (more) active and avoid chronicity.