Patients with previous decompression surgery benefit significantly regarding back pain (NRS 4.82 versus 7.65; <i>p</i> < 0.0024), especially in the long-term follow-up subgroup (NRS 4.75 versus 7.67; <i>p</i> < 0.0148).
Each patient completed the EuroQol Five-Dimensional Questionnaire (including a visual analog scale), Core Outcome Measures Index (COMI) for neck (including neck pain and shoulder/arm pain numeric rating scale [NRS]), COMI back (including back pain and buttock/leg pain NRS), Neck Disability Index, and Oswestry Disability Index preoperatively.
Of 4,665 patients (89%) with follow-up, both RDQ (from mean 9.6 [95% confidence interval {CI} 9.4-9.7] to mean 8.3 [95% CI 8.0-8.5]) and back painNRS (from mean 5.0 [95% CI 4.9-5.1] to mean 3.5 [95% CI 3.4-3.6]) scores improved slightly.