Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Has a Negative Impact on Quality of Life Compared with Other Comorbidities: An Epidemiological Cross‐Sectional Study of 1862 Community‐Dwelling Individuals

Abstract

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is common in the elderly. However, there have been few reports on its impact on quality of life (QoL) in community-dwelling individuals. The purpose of this study was to clarify how symptomatic LSS affects QoL at the community level. A total of 1862 people (697 males and 1165 females, most subjects were between 40 and 85 y.o.) agreed to participate and were interviewed. The presence of symptomatic LSS was assessed by a specially designed questionnaire. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was also administered. In addition, the presence of comorbid conditions that affect QoL, such as osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, or respiratory disease, was also analyzed. The prevalence of symptomatic LSS gradually increased with age. Furthermore, the presence of symptomatic LSS had a strong negative effect on all 8 physical and mental domains and the physical component summary (PCS) (OR: 1.547–2.544) but not the mental component summary (MCS). In comparison with comorbid conditions, LSS had a much stronger negative impact on health-related QoL (HR-QoL). The current study confirmed that the presence of symptomatic LSS might have a strong negative influence on HR-QoL in the community setting.

The frequency of spinal stenosis in patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty

“…Koji et al [7] investigated the effect of comorbidities on quality of life in their study and found that lumbar spinal stenosis was the most detrimental compared to comorbidities such as knee and hip osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory disease.…”

Pre-surgery physiotherapy and pain thresholds in patients with degenerative lumbar spine disorders

“…The decreased walking distance significantly influences daily life, and people with LSS report a lower quality of life than people with osteoarthritis in the knee and hip (32). In people 60 years and older, diabetes mellitus, urological disorders, and osteoarthritis/fracture have been reported as comorbidities, and depressive symptoms are associated with LSS (33). Screening for these associated factors helps to draw up a tailored intervention.…”

Suprapedicular Foraminal Endoscopic Approach to Lumbar Lateral Recess Decompression Surgery to Treat Degenerative Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

“…The incidence rate is 1.70% to 8.00% in people over age 50 years, and is higher in females than males [1]. The disease can occur in the central canal, lateral recess, or intervertebral foramen, and the most common site is the narrow entrance zone of the lateral recess [2].…”