Reference values of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and characteristics of deterioration of QOL: Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Diagnosis Support Tool: DISTO project.

<bold>Background: </bold>The reference values of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) are still unknown. This multicenter cross-sectional survey was performed to determine the reference values and disease-specific characteristics of deterioration of QOL caused by LSS itself, not by aging, through comparison of patients with and without LSS who had an outpatient visit for low back pain by age and sex groups.<bold>Methods: </bold>The present study was performed at 564 medical centers and clinics. The JOABPEQ was measured for 8338 patients aged 20 years or over who came to an outpatient clinic for low back pain (LBP) and were examined for whether they had LSS using the LSS diagnosis support tool (LSS-DST). Scores in the five JOABPEQ domains were compared between the LSS group and the LBP without LSS group (LBP group) for each age and sex group.<bold>Results: </bold>Scores for Pain-related disorder, Gait disturbance, Social life disturbance, and Psychological disorders were significantly lower in the LSS group than in the LBP group.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>The percentiles of JOABPEQ scores in patients with LSS were clarified and could be used as reference values. Deterioration of QOL caused by LSS itself, not by aging, are characterized by Pain-related disorder, Gait disturbance, Social life disturbance, and Psychological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]