Abstract:  

To examine short-term changes in patients' clinical status following lumbar spine surgery (LSS) and to explore presurgical variables that predict surgical outcomes. Prospective cohort study. A total of 46 patients underwent LSS. Patients completed the following questionnaires 1 week before LSS and 2 weeks after discharge from the hospital: back and leg visual pain analogue scale, Ronald Morris questionnaire (RMQ), Modified Somatic Perception questionnaire (MSPQ), SF-36, Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, Beck's Depression Inventory, EuroQol questionnaire, and patient-perception of improvement. Regression models were constructed to examine predictors of pain, function, quality of life, and patient-perception of improvement at 2 weeks postsurgery. Patients demonstrated significant improvement in back and leg pain and function. MSPQ and symptom duration were significant predictors of back pain, while type of diagnosis and use of opioids were significant predictors of leg pain. Preoperative MSPQ and RMQ were significant predictors of postoperative RMQ. MSPQ, gender, and back pain were significant predictors of quality of life. Back pain, leg pain, depression, smoking, and worker's compensation were significantly associated with patient-perception of improvement. This preliminary study could be viewed as a directory to identify potential risk factors for unfavorable outcomes at early stages following LSS.