Predictive Factors For The Outcome Of Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion In Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis

PURPOSE:To explore factors predicting outcome of posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) in degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DS)MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Pain and disability, measured by visual analog scale (VAS) and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RM score) from all patients.METHODS:From2006.1to2008.3, a total of sixty-six patients, who sufferred DS and treated by PLIF in our hospital, were included in this study.Data gathered were the following:sex, age, body height, weight, BMI, smoking, drinking, educational background, medical insurance, degree of lumbar spondylolisthesis, main symptom of low back pain or skelalgia, symptom duration,VAS and RM score of preoperation、 postoperation、24months after operation. All data analyzed by SPSS17.0.The association between potential predicting factors and the outcome was analyzed with t-test、simple linear regression and multivariate linear backward regression.RESULTS:In this study, we analyzed data from a total of66patients. The t-test showed:smoking, educational background, medical insurance, was associated with improvement of VAS and RM. Symptom duration was associated with improvement of VAS.Drinking was associated with improvement of RM.The simple linear regression showed:BMI was associated with improvement of VAS and RM.Degree of lumbar spondylolisthesis was associated with improvement of VAS.The multivariate linear backward regression showed:educational background,symptom duration, sex, BMI, smoking was associated with improvement of VAS.educational background was associated with improvement of RM.CONCLUSIONS:Patients, who sufferred DS, should be suggested to stop smoking、drinking and control weight; Patients without medical insurance need more communication to keep low expectancy.Patients with low level of educational background request more healthy education and rehabilitative directions. We can suggest surgery treatment to patients with long symptom duration、high degree of lumbar spondylolisthesis or conservative treatment inefficiency.