Calidad de vida en pacientes con dolor lumbar crónico

Objetivo: describir la calidad de vida en relación a la salud (CVRS) de pacientes lumbalgia crónica inespecífica, así como su relación con distintas variables médicas, socio-demográficas y psicosociales. Diseño: estudio descriptivo- correlacional transversal. Participantes: 94 pacientes con dolor lumbar crónico inespecífico pertenecientes al área de Rehabilitación (Algias) del hospital de referencia. Instrumentos de evaluación: los datos médicos y socio-demográficos fueron obtenidos a partir de las historias clínicas y de una entrevista semi-estructurada. Asimismo, se administraron cuestionarios de CVRS, dolor auto-percibido, discapacidad, sintomatología ansioso-depresiva, apoyo social y satisfacción vital. Resultados: el aspecto físico de la CVRS fue el más deteriorado y éste estuvo explicado en gran parte (R2 =47.3%) por la edad del paciente y su disfunción valorada a partir de la escala Oswestry. Asimismo, el aspecto mental de la CVRS, que se mostró más cercano al promedio poblacional, se explicó por la disfunción y la ansiedad-rasgo (STAI/R) de los pacientes (R2 =47.3%). Conclusiones: la disfunción, la edad y la ansiedad-rasgo de los participantes con lumbalgia crónica han mostrado ser factores clave para explicar su CVRS global. Así pues, es preciso tomarlos en consideración a la hora de favorecer un adecuado abordaje integral y multidisciplinar de esta población.Objective: To describe health-related quality of life in (HRQoL) in a sample of patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain, and their relationship with various medical, socio-demographic and psychosocial variables. Design: Descriptive- correlational cross-sectional study. Participants: A total of 94 patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain treated in the Rehabilitation Department from the reference hospital. Assessment tools: Medical and socio-demographic data were obtained from medical records and a semi-structured interview. Furthermore, HRQoL, self-perceived pain, functional disability, anxiety-depressive symptoms, social support and life satisfaction questionnaires were administered. Results: The physical domain of HRQoL was the most impaired and it was largely explained (R2 = 47.3%) by patient age and functional dysfunction assessed by means of the Oswestry scale. Similarly, the mental domain of HRQoL, that showed average mean scores more similar to normative population, was also explained by functional dysfunction and anxiety trait (STAI/T) of patients (R2 = 47.3%). Conclusions: Functional dysfunction, age and anxiety trait of participants with chronic low back pain have been shown to be key factors in explaining their overall HRQoL. Thus, these factors should be properly consider

A Multidisciplinary Approach for Patients with Non-specific Chronic Low Back Pain: Study Protocol and Preliminary Findings

Non-specific chronic low back pain is a frequent cause for disability and a recurrent cause for medical consultation with high costs to public health. Although physiotherapy usually reduces disability and pain-related anxiety-depressive symptoms, many patients still report partial improvement and recurrent and disabling pain episodes. Therefore, a new approach to rehabilitate chronic low back pain that includes other modulating psychosocial factors is necessary. This article presents preliminary findings from the chronic low back pain study protocol (N= 71; Clinical Trials Reference NCT01993355) aimed to assess the effects on patients’ health-related quality of life of two complementary interventions to standard physiotherapy (n= 22); sophrology (n= 26) and cognitive-behavioral group intervention (n= 23). After 6 months, intervention groups showed no improvements in any of the variables assessed. Only the control group showed lower mean scores for self-perceived pain. Characteristics of the interventions (e.g. specific contents, abilities trained, intensive planning, group format, etc.) could explain these counterintuitive results. More research is needed to investigate the efficacy, efficiency and specific characteristics of multidisciplinary interventions that better address the needs of this population with chronic low back pain