Setting and Participants
infection, MHS, LBP, systemic disorders or illness
INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIS, MALIGNANT NEOPLASM, RADICULOPATHY, CAUDA EQUINA SYNDROME, INFECTION
Participants were patients seeking care for LBP in 2 large hospitals in the US MHS in Texas, enrolled between April 2017 and February 2020. The MHS is a single-payer government health system and one of the largest health systems in the United States. Participants were adults aged 18 to 50 years with a primary concern of LBP for any duration (with or without radiculopathy). Individuals were excluded if they had history of spine surgery in the last 24 months, received any prior care for this episode of LBP (within last 6 months), pending litigation, pregnancy within last 6 months, or LBP symptoms associated with potentially serious systemic disorders or illness (eg, malignant neoplasm, infection, inflammatory arthritis, cauda equina syndrome).