Table 1 Requested investigations and referrals to secondary care for different acute LBP types within four weeks from initial visit (n = 346)
Investigation | Acute lumbar pain (n = 265) | Acute sciatica (n = 81) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
X-ray | 19.2% | 21.0% | 0.72 |
MRI scan | 1.5% | 13.6% | <0.05 |
CT scan | 0.4% | 13.6% | <0.05 |
Blood test | 3.0% | 1.2% | 0.35 |
Referrals to | |||
Orthopaedic surgeons | 6.8% | 13.6% | 0.06 |
Neurosurgeons | 0.0% | 23.5% | <0.05 |
Specialists for physical medicine | 1.5% | 2.5% | 0.60 |
At least one investigation requested | 24.2% | 49.4% | <0.05 |