Alcohol use self report in chronic back pain - relationships to psychosocial factors, function performance, and medication use

Background Context: Alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for spinal disability, but there is no data on the relationship between reported alcohol consumption and behaviours in persons who are disabled. Purpose: To determine the interaction between reported alcohol consumption, physical performance, and medication use in this group. To determine psychosocial correlates of reported alcohol consumption in this group. Methods: A retrospective review 147 men and 136 women with more than 3 months disability who underwent a multidisciplinary physical, functional and psychosocial Spine Team Assessment. Questions about alcohol consumption were related to outcome measures. Results: None of the women reported more than 5 drinks/week. Ten men reported more than 12 drinks per week. These performed significantly better on the Progressive Isoinertial Lifting Evaluation (PILE) low lift and the Functional Assessment Screening Test (FAST) 5 minute twisting test, and trended towards better performance on all other tests (the PILE high lift, all 4 other FAST components, Sorenson trunk extension test, and bicycle ergometer submaximal stress test). They had less back pain disability (Quebec p = 0.061), but no difference in depression (CESD), pain (visual analog scale) or fear (Tampa). They used fewer Non-steroidal medications, but similar narcotic medications as the others. No significant differences in the SF-36 were noted.