Relationship between lumbar spinal stenosis and psychosocial factors: a multicenter cross-sectional study (DISTO project)

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a lumbar spinal disorder that causes leg symptoms and intermittent claudication. It is reported that the risk factors for low back pain include age, family history, smoking, obesity, work-related physical load, exercise, and depression. This was a multicenter, cross-sectional survey, and the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of LSS by age and the relationships between LSS and psychosocial factors and job satisfaction. This study enrolled subjects aged 50 years and over from a survey of LSS in 2177 hospitals and general practices nationwide. The clinical characteristics of the LSS and non-LSS groups were compared using the chi (2) test, and the multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine associations between exercise, perceived stress, strenuous use of the low back or legs, job satisfaction, and LSS. In total, 18,642 patients (8338 males, 10,267 females) were analyzed. The rate of LSS was 38.3 % and it increased with age. Regular exercise was less common among those in the LSS group than those in the non-LSS group (p < 0.001). Satisfaction in all job-related items was less in the LSS group than in the non-LSS group (p < 0.001). The odds for having LSS were higher in subjects having perceived stress and strenuous use of the low back or legs (p = 0.001). The odds ratios of heart diseases and hypertension (p < 0.001) were higher in the LSS group. This study investigated factors associated with LSS. The prevalence of LSS increased with age. Perceived stress and strenuous use of the low back or legs might be associated with LSS, and job satisfaction was lower with LSS.