The Long-Term Course of Outcomes for Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation following Integrated Complementary and Alternative Medicine Inpatient Treatment: A Prospective Observational Study

Table 1

Baseline demographic characteristics.

Variables	Long-term follow-up group ()			Non-long-term follow-up group ()
		%	Mean (SD)		%	Mean (SD)
Age (years)
Gender
Male	199	54.22		67	42.68
Female	168	45.78		90	57.32
Smoking status
No	247	67.30		86	54.78
Quit	63	17.17		26	16.56
Yes	57	15.53		45	28.66
Drinking
Yes	301	82.02		139	88.54
No	66	17.98		18	11.46
Body Mass Index (kg/m^2)
Previous back pain
None	243	66.21		101	64.33
Disc herniation	109	29.70		46	29.30
Other (e.g., fracture)	15	4.09		10	6.37
Comorbid illnesses^a
Yes	61	16.62		16	10.19
No	306	83.38		141	89.81
Radiating pain
None	79	21.53		24	15.29
Unilateral	226	61.58		99	63.06
Bilateral	62	16.89		34	21.66
Radiating pain to below the knee
None	136	37.06		60	38.22
Unilateral	225	61.31		95	60.51
Bilateral	6	1.63		2	1.27
Muscular weakness	47	12.81		21	13.38
Sensory loss	42	11.44		15	9.55
Straight leg raising test < 60°	112	30.52		63	40.13
Range of lumbar flexion < 60°	138	37.60		62	39.49
Previous back surgery	34	9.26		15	9.55
Previous treatment (for current pain episode)
Nerve blocks	107	29.16		42	26.75
Pain killers	108	29.43		35	22.29
CAM	70	19.07		28	17.83
Duration of current episode (days)
Less than 1 month	144	39.24		61	38.85
Between 1 and 6 months	117	31.88		45	28.66
Other	106	28.88		51	32.48
Low back pain, NRS (0–10)
Radiating leg pain, NRS (0–10)
Oswestry disability index (0–100)

NRS, numerical rating scale; CAM, complementary and alternative medicine; ^aany self-reported gastritis, tuberculosis poliomyelitis, cardiovascular diseases, uterine myoma, or hepatitis B carrier.