Rasmussen C
Department of Rheumatology, Hjoerring Hospital, Denmark.
Eur Spine J. 1996;5(4):225-8. doi: 10.1007/BF00301324.
The study was set up to show whether certain social and demographic characteristics play any significant role in determining the duration of disease in patients with lumbar disc herniation. The study included 171 consecutive patients operated upon for the first time for lumbar disc herniation over a 1-year period. Records were made of each patient's age, sex, domicile (town, rural area), social group and employment status. For each patient, four dates were also recorded: onset of symptoms, referral to hospital, operation and recovery. On this basis six periods could be calculated. Statistical analysis was used to identify the relation between the social and demographic factors and the various time periods between the onset of symptoms and recovery. Being employed, especially in a higher social group, cuts down the period from onset of symptoms to recovery. This shortening in the total duration mainly takes place between onset of symptoms and referral to hospital. The influences of domicile, age and sex were of no statistical significance. The median of the total period from onset of symptoms to recovery was 224 days. Among patients operated upon for the first time for lumbar disc herniation, employment denoted faster referral to hospital and thus faster operation and recovery. Among those employed, the patients from higher social groups were referred quickest.
该研究旨在表明某些社会和人口统计学特征在决定腰椎间盘突出症患者的病程方面是否发挥任何重要作用。该研究纳入了在1年期间首次接受腰椎间盘突出症手术的171例连续患者。记录了每位患者的年龄、性别、住所（城镇、农村地区）、社会阶层和就业状况。对于每位患者，还记录了四个日期：症状发作、转诊至医院、手术和康复。在此基础上，可以计算出六个时间段。采用统计分析来确定社会和人口统计学因素与症状发作至康复之间的各个时间段之间的关系。就业，尤其是在较高社会阶层就业，会缩短从症状发作到康复的时间。总病程的缩短主要发生在症状发作至转诊至医院之间。住所、年龄和性别的影响无统计学意义。从症状发作到康复的总病程中位数为224天。在首次接受腰椎间盘突出症手术的患者中，就业意味着更快转诊至医院，从而更快进行手术和康复。在就业者中，来自较高社会阶层的患者转诊最快。
