Procedures implemented by the general practitioners for patients consulting them for low back pain

C. Raber1, A. Ramond-Roquin1, C. Bouton1, E. Pernollet1, L. Letrilliart2, A. Mercier3, JF. Huez1 1

Department of general practice, Faculty of medecine of Angers, ANGERS, France; 2 Department of general practice, Faculty of medecine of Lyon, LYON, France; 3 Department of general practice, Faculty of medecine of Rouen, ROUEN, France

Low back pain (LBP) is a major public health problem, and one the most frequent reasons for encounter in general practice. In France, we are lacking data on management of LBP by the general practitioners (GP). The aim of this ongoing study is to describe the management of patients from 18 to 65 consulting their GP for LBP. Ecogen is a French national descriptive study, undertaken in 128 diff erent offi  ces of general practice in 2012. One day by week, for all the consultations, all the reasons for encounter, the diagnosis and the procedures implemented by the GPs were recorded according to the International Classifi cation of Primary Care (ICPC-2). All the consultations of patients from 18 to 65 seeking care for LBP were selected. Then the population and all the diagnostic, therapeutic, preventive and administrative procedures related to these consultations were described. Finally, some typical associations of procedures were looked for, and compared according to the characteristics of the patients and of the GPs. About 650 consultations will probably be selected. As suggested by international literature, prescriptions of radiological exams, drugs, physiotherapy, sick leave and occupational disease certifi cations may represent the main part of the procedures implemented by the GP. This study will provide a more accurate assessment of the use of these procedures in general practice in France, and might  lead to more original results, as the use of prevention and health education or the rate of referrals of patients to specialists or other health care providers.

__________________________________________________________________________

Comorbidities in patients consulting their general practitioner for low back pain

E. Pernollet1, C. Bouton1, A. Ramond-Roquin1, C. Raber1, A. Mercier2, L. Letrilliart3, J.F. Huez1 1 Department of general practice, Faculty of medecine of Angers, ANGERS, France; 2 Department of general practice, Faculty of medecine of Rouen, ROUEN, France; 3 Department of general practice, Faculty of medecine of Lyon, LYON, France

Low back pain (LBP) is a major public health problem, and one the most frequent reasons for encounter (RFE) in general practice (GP). In France, we are lacking data on comorbidities and health care behaviours of patients with LBP in GP. The aim of this ongoing study is to describe the associated RFE of patients from 18 to 65 consulting their general practitioner for LBP. Ecogen is a French national descriptive study, undertaken in 128 diff erent offi  ces of GP in 2012. One day by week, for all the consultations, all the RFE, the diagnosis and the procedures implemented by the GPs were recorded according to the International Classifi cation of Primary Care (ICPC-2). All the consultations of patients from 18 to 65 seeking care for LBP were selected. Then the population and all the RFE and diagnosis related to these consultations were described, and their frequencies were compared to those of a matched sample of patients having not sought care for LBP. Finally, some typical associations of RFE and diagnosis were looked for, and compared according to the characteristics of the patients. About 650 consultations will probably be selected. As suggested by international literature, other musculoskeletal complaints, pain syndromes and psychosocial problems may be more frequent in the patients with LBP than in others. This study will provide a more accurate assessment of the frequency of these comorbidities, and might  lead to more original results, as the frequency of other chronic diseases and specifi c associations of comorbidities in patients with BP.

refer to documents in pdf file below