Bizzoca D, Solarino G, Pulcrano A, Brunetti G, Moretti AM, Moretti L, Piazzolla A, Moretti B. Gender-Related Issues in the Management of Low-Back Pain: A Current Concepts Review.
Clin Pract 2023;
13:1360-1368. [PMID:
37987423 PMCID:
PMC10660510 DOI:
10.3390/clinpract13060122]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Low back pain (LBP) is an emerging disease. This review aims to investigate the role of gender-related factors in the diagnosis, clinical, and surgical management of LBP.
METHODS
From January 2002 to March 2023, EMBASE, SCOPUS, OVID-MEDLINE, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched to identify relevant papers for further analysis.
RESULTS
Fifteen papers were included in this review. Sex- and gender-related differences were analyzed regarding the following points: (1) LBP epidemiology; (2) LBP physiopathology; (3) conservative management of LBP; (4) major vertebral surgery for LBP. The conservative treatment of LBP highlights that women claim services later in terms of poorer health status than men. In the postoperative phase, female patients show worse LBP, quality of life, and disability, but equal or greater interval change, compared with male patients complaining of lumbar degenerative disease.
CONCLUSIONS
LBP epidemiology and clinical outcomes, following conservative and surgical management of patients complaining of back pain, might depend on both sex- and gender-related factors. It is mandatory to assess gender-related indicators in patients referred to LBP and address them to improve their clinical outcomes and quality of life.
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