Clinical and radiological characteristics of patients with low back pain treated in a hospital

Introduction: Low back pain is one of the main causes of medical consultation worldwide, with heterogeneous management in the request for complementary methods. This study sought to determine the frequency and clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with low back pain in a tertiary hospital, considering the presence or absence of red flags. Materials and methods: A retrospective analytical study was carried out at the Private University Hospital of Cordoba. Patients over 18 years of age who consulted for the first time for low back pain between January and June 2021 were included, excluding pregnant and those without complete records. Results: A total of 880 patients were included. Of these, 589 (67%) presented acute low back pain, 112 (13%) subacute and 179 (20%) chronic. Simple low back pain was the most common cause (n=652, 74%), followed by herniated disc (n=179, 20%) and spondylolisthesis (n=33, 4%). Red flags were identified in 190 (22%) patients according to American College of Radiology (ACR) criteria and in 420 (48%) according to the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR). Imaging studies were performed in 314 (75%) patients with AHCPR criteria and 255 (55%) with ACR criteria. Neoplasia/infection and vertebral fracture were diagnosed in 2 (2%) and 5 (9%) patients with red flags, respectively. Discussion: The first consultation for low back pain represented 1.8% of consultations, with acute low back pain being more frequent. Obesity was the most common comorbidity. About half of the patients had red flags according to AHCPR and 21% according to ACR.