A single question was as predictive of outcome as the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia in people with sciatica: an observational study.

QUESTION: In people with sciatica in primary care, can a single question be used to predict outcome at 1 year followup as accurately as validated questionnaires on kinesiophobia, disability, and health-related quality of life?

DESIGN

Observational study within a randomised cohort.

PARTICIPANTS

135 people with sciatica in primary care.

OUTCOME MEASURES: Kinesiophobia was measured with the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), disability with the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ), and health-related quality of life with the EQ-5D and the 36-item Short Form (SF-36) Physical Component Summary. Participants also answered a newly devised substitute question for each questionnaire on an 11-point numerical rating scale. Global perceived effect and severity of leg pain were recorded at 1 year follow-up.

RESULTS

The correlation coefficient between the TSK and its substitute question was r=0.46 (p<0.001). The substitute question was better at predicting pain severity in the leg at 1 year follow-up than the TSK (addition of explained variation of 11% versus 4% in a logistic regression analysis). The TSK and its substitute question did not significantly differ in their prediction of global perceived effect at 1 year follow-up. The other substitute questions and both the RDQ and EQ-5D did not contribute significantly to one or both of their prediction models.

CONCLUSION

It may be feasible to replace the TSK by a single substitute question for predicting outcome in people with sciatica in primary care. The other substitute questions did not consistently predict outcome at 1 year follow-up.