Low-back pain at the emergency department: still not being managed?

Figures & data

Table 1 ED data and clinical features of LBP patients

ED data and clinical features	Diagnosis considered
	Sciatica	Lumbago	Lumbosciatica
White triage code	7.1%	19%	18.1%
Green triage code	78.6%	73.9%	77.3%
Yellow triage code	14.3%	6.5%	4.2%
Red triage code	0	0.1%	0
Home discharge	100%	94.7%	97.4%
Ward admission	0	5.3%	2.6%
Ward LOS (days)	0	15.3	15.5
Ward mean cost per patient	0	€9,500	€9,800
ED mean cost, non-ward-admitted patients	€150	€190	€220
Sick days off work	106.0	1,122.0	1,180.0
Sick days off work (per capita)	3.8	1.6	2.4
Cost of sick days off work	€6,001.90	€63,529.80	€66,813.90
Cost of sick days off work (per capita)	€214.40	€90.20	€133.10
Mean NRS score at ED admission	8.4	7.7	8.1
NRS measurement at ED admission	46.4%	34.9%	43.6%
Mean NRS score at ED discharge	0	9	10
NSAIDs administered at the ED	60.7%	72%	47.4%
Opiates administered at the ED	32.1%	41.9%	38.6%
Codeine PO	88.9%	50.5%	37.1%
Morphine IV	11.1%	47.8%	60.8%
Fentanyl IV	0	1.4%	1.5%
Oxycodone ± naloxone CR PO	0	0.3%	0.5%
NSAIDs at home	7.1%	5.5%	7.8%
Opiates at home	10.7%	2.6%	9.6%
Imaging at the ED	7.1%	56.4%	28.5%
Lumbosacral standard X-ray	50%	40.8%	40.6%
Various X-rays	100%	68.2%	23.3%
Lumbosacral CT scan	0	3.5%	1.4%
Abdominal US	0	14.1%	37.1%
Lumbosacral MRI scan	0	1%	2.1%

Abbreviations: ED, emergency department; LBP, low-back pain; LOS, length of stay; NRS, numeric rating scale; NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; CR, controlled release; PO, per os (by mouth); IV, intravenous; CT, computed tomography; US, ultrasonography; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging.