Disclosures: Jensen J. Swampillai, DO:
Objective: To test the hypothesis that people with cardiopulmonary disease and lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) with increased blood viscosity are more likely to have sleep-interrupting low back pain.
Design: Case-control study Setting : Private physiatrist office Participants : 21 patients presenting with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and cardiopulmonary disease were divided into two groups, sleep-interrupting low back pain (n=9) and those without nocturnal pain (n=12).
Interventions: CBC and fibrinogen levels were attained for each patient.
Main Outcome Measures: Two tailed T-test was used to calculate statistical difference between the two groups in regards to gender, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and plasma fibrinogen levels, a direct measure of plasma viscosity.
Results: In those with sleep-interrupting low back pain, fibrinogen was elevated to an average level of 451.4 mg/dL compared to the asymptomatic group, 311.1 mg/dL, with a significant p-value < 0.001 in regards to the two groups. No significant differences were noted between the two groups in regards to hemoglobin, hematocrit, or gender. Conclusions: People with cardiopulmonary disease and lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) with increased blood viscosity (higher fibrinogen levels) are more likely to have sleep-interrupting low back pain. Plasma viscosity likely contributes to neuro-ischemia in this patient population. Further research is warranted to determine potential therapeutic agents for nocturnal low back pain that target plasma viscosity.
Level of Evidence: Level II
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Swampillai JJ, LaBan MM, Krater T. Increased Blood Viscosity, It’s Thickness and Stickiness, in the Lumbar Spinal Stenotic. A Potential Contributor to Nocturnal Low Back Pain in Patients with Concurrent Cardiopulmonary Pathology [abstract]. PM R. 2020; 12(S1)(suppl 1). https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/increased-blood-viscosity-its-thickness-and-stickiness-in-the-lumbar-spinal-stenotic-a-potential-contributor-to-nocturnal-low-back-pain-in-patients-with-concurrent-cardiopulmonary-patholog/. Accessed December 11, 2024.« Back to AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2020
PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/increased-blood-viscosity-its-thickness-and-stickiness-in-the-lumbar-spinal-stenotic-a-potential-contributor-to-nocturnal-low-back-pain-in-patients-with-concurrent-cardiopulmonary-patholog/