Association of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis with Severe Disability and Mortality Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcomes in the Aizu Cohort Study

Study design: This prospective cohort study analyzed data from the Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcomes in the Aizu Cohort Study.

Objective: To investigate the association between lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and severe disability and mortality among community-dwelling older adults.

Summary of background data: Only a few studies have investigated LSS longitudinally, and the study participants were limited to selected patients diagnosed with LSS during a hospital visit. Additionally, the prognosis of LSS remains unclear.

Methods: We enrolled independent community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or older at the time of a baseline health checkup in 2008. LSS was diagnosed using a validated diagnostic support tool for LSS. The primary endpoint was a composite of severe disability (long-term care insurance certification grade 4 or 5) and mortality. We used 1 minus Kaplan-Meier failure estimates and the log-rank test to compare the interval between baseline and the predetermined endpoint as well as a Cox proportional hazards model to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for the LSS group with adjustment for possible confounders. Multiple imputation by chained equations was performed for sensitivity analysis.

Results: Of 2058 subjects enrolled, 1560 did not have missing covariates; 269 (17%) were diagnosed with LSS. After a median follow-up of 5.8 years, the rates of severe disability and mortality were 0.022 per year in subjects with LSS and 0.012 per year in those without (P = 0.006). The adjusted HR for the composite endpoint in the LSS group was 1.55 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-2.38). A similar association was observed after multiple imputation of missing covariates (adjusted HR, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.06-2.16]).

Conclusion: LSS was associated with severe disability and mortality in community-dwelling older adults. Detection of adults with LSS in the community may contribute to local health promotion.Level of Evidence: 2.