Depression Impacts the Course of Recovery in Patients with Acute Low-Back Pain

• Published in: Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.) D.C.), 2013-07, Vol.39 (3), p.80-89
• Main Authors: Melloh, Markus, Elfering, Achim, Käser, Anja, Salathé, Cornelia Rolli, Barz, Thomas, Aghayev, Emin, Röder, Christoph, Theis, Jean-Claude
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acute back pain; Acute Pain - complications; Acute Pain - diagnosis; Acute Pain - psychology; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Back pain; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition; Depression; Depression - complications; Depression - psychology; Disability; Disability Evaluation; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Diseases of the spine; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Low back pain; Low Back Pain - complications; Low Back Pain - diagnosis; Low Back Pain - psychology; Male; Medical sciences; Medical screening; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Mood disorders; Patients; prognosis; Prospective Studies; prospective study recovery; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Recovery; Recovery of Function; Screening; Screening Tests; Statistical Analysis; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0896-4289; 1940-4026
• DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2013.779566

Little is known about the course of recovery of acute low back pain (LBP) patients as a function of depression. In a prospective study, 286 acute LBP patients were assessed at baseline and followed up over 6 months. Recovery was defined as improvement in the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Repeated-measures analysis of covariance was employed with ODI as repeated factor, age, sex, and body mass index as covariates, depression and all other potential prognostic factors as between-subject factors. Of study participants, 18% were classified as depressive (>33 points on the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale). Of 286 participants, 135 were lost to follow-up. In the longitudinal sample of 151 patients the course of recovery was slower in depressive patients. Depression was associated with LBP especially after 6 weeks and should therefore be included in screening instruments for acute LBP patients to identify those at risk of delayed recovery at an early stage.