Association between spinal manipulative therapy and lumbar spine reoperation after discectomy: a retrospective cohort study

Robert J. Trager; Jordan A. Gliedt; Collin M. Labak; Clinton J. Daniels; Jeffery A. Dusek

doi:10.1186/s12891-024-07166-x

Table 2

Key results before and after propensity score matching

Before matching After matching
SMT Usual care SMT Usual care
Number of patients 380 1,931 378 378
Lumbar spine reoperation N (%) 28 (7%) 268 (14%) 28 (7%) 51 (13%)
RR (95% CI) 0.53 (0.37–0.77; P < 0.0005) (reference) 0.55 (0.35–0.85; P = 0.0062)* (reference)

Abbreviations: spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), risk ratio (RR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI)''

* primary outcome

	Before matching		After matching
	SMT	Usual care	SMT	Usual care
Number of patients	380	1,931	378	378
Lumbar spine reoperation N (%)	28 (7%)	268 (14%)	28 (7%)	51 (13%)
RR (95% CI)	0.53 (0.37–0.77; P < 0.0005)	(reference)	0.55 (0.35–0.85; P = 0.0062)*	(reference)