Association between metabolism and low back pain: a cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Metabolic health
• Low back pain
• Obesity
• Insulin resistance

Background:

• Metabolic imbalance is a known factor in intervertebral disc degeneration.
• Limited research exists on the direct link between metabolic factors and low back pain (LBP).
• This study investigates the relationship between insulin resistance and obesity with LBP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the associations between insulin resistance and visceral obesity with low back pain (LBP).
• To provide insights for integrated management strategies for LBP patients.
• To examine the role of metabolic factors in LBP etiology.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 41,663 participants across four NHANES survey cycles (1999-2004, 2009-2010).
• Employed the Metabolic Score for Insulin Resistance (METS-IR) and Body Roundness Index (BRI) to assess insulin resistance and visceral obesity.
• Applied weighted logistic regression, Restricted Cubic Splines (RCS), and ROC curve analysis to evaluate associations and diagnostic performance.

Main Results:

• Significant positive associations were found between METS-IR/BRI and LBP after adjusting for confounders.
• Associations remained consistent across subgroups, with no significant nonlinear relationships identified.
• METS-IR demonstrated the highest diagnostic performance for LBP in females, followed by BRI and BMI.

Conclusions:

• Significant positive correlations exist between METS-IR/BRI and LBP in a nationally representative sample of US adults.
• Maintaining healthy metabolic status is crucial and offers valuable insights for future LBP research.
• These findings highlight the importance of metabolic health in the context of low back pain.