Effectiveness of Corticosteroid Therapy in Enhancing Early Postoperative Recovery in Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Patients: A Retrospective Study

27 January 2024: Clinical Research

Haozhi Zhang ^1BCDEF , Changfa Huang ^1BDF , Daoyun Wang ^1BDF , Kuan Li ^2ABF , Xiao Han ^3ABF , Xin Chen ^3ABF , Zheng Li ^1ADEG*

DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943233

Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e943233

Table 3 Postoperative scores compared with preoperative scores (score variation [Δ]).

	CTG (n=128)	NCTG (n=104)	W	Z	P
1 month after surgery
Δ NRS-LP	5 (4,5)	4 (4,5)	5493	−2.391	0.017*
Δ NRS-LN	2 (1,3)	1 (0,2)	4922	−3.471
Δ ODI	10 (5.5,14)	6 (2,12)	5117	−3.042	0.002*
Δ SF-36	10 (5,13)	7 (3.75,12)	5225	−2.818	0.004*
3 months after surgery
Δ NRS-LP	5 (5,5)	5 (4.75,5)	5578.5	−2.429	0.015*
Δ NRS-LN	3 (1,4)	2 (1,3)	5398	−2.520	0.012*
Δ ODI	22 (16,26)	19 (14,24)	5146.5	−2.979	0.003*
Δ SF-36	16 (11.75,22)	13 (9,19)	5048	−3.166	0.002*
6 months after surgery
Δ NRS-LP	5 (5,6.25)	5 (5,6)	6548	−0.246	0.806
Δ NRS-LN	3 (2,5)	3 (2,4)	5877.5	−1.549	0.121
Δ ODI	28 (22,34)	24 (20,32)	5370.5	−2.535	0.011*
Δ SF-36	17.5 (13,23.25)	14.5 (10,20.25)	5014.5	−3.231	0.001*
12 months after surgery
Δ NRS-LP	5 (5,7)	5 (5,6.25)	6670.5	−0.031	0.975
Δ NRS-LN	3 (2,5)	3 (2,4)	6157.5	−0.991	0.322
Δ ODI	30 (24,36)	28 (22,34)	5943.5	−1.404	0.160
Δ SF-36	19 (15,25)	18 (13,24.25)	5796	−1.692	0.091
24 months after surgery
Δ NRS-LP	6 (6,7)	6 (6,7)	6605	−0.108	0.914
Δ NRS-LN	3.5 (2,5)	4 (2,5)	6709	−0.104	0.917
Δ ODI	32 (26,38)	32 (26,38)	6309	−0.683	0.494
Δ SF-36	20 (15,26)	19 (14,25)	6040.5	−1.211	0.226
The Δ value represents the absolute value of the difference between preoperative score and the corresponding postoperative score at each follow-up time point. CTG – corticosteroids treatment group; NCTG – non-corticosteroids treatment group; NRS-LP – numerical rating scale for leg pain; NRS-LN – numerical rating scale for leg numbness; ODI – Oswestry Disability Index; SF-36 – Short Form Health Survey.