Factors associated with favourable short-term non-operative treatment outcomes among patients with degenerative cervical spine disease at Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute

Abstract

Background: Non-operative treatment of cervical degenerative spine disease involves pharmacotherapy and physical therapy. Favorable  Short-term treatment outcomes include pain reduction and sensory-motor recovery, with an eventual return to normal daily activities as  a longterm outcome. Several factors have been attributed to early pain relief and sensorimotor recovery; these include early diagnosis  and combined therapy.

Objective: This prospective study was carried out from June to December 2022 and was carried out to determine factors associated with  favourable short-term treatment outcomes among patients with degenerative cervical spine disease treated non-operatively at Muhimbili  Orthopaedics Institute (MOI).

Methods: This prospective study involved 78 individuals diagnosed with chronic degenerative cervical spine disease, undergoing six weeks of non-operative treatment. Patient data, including gender, age, occupation, and symptoms,  were collected via a questionnaire. Disease severity and treatment outcome were assessed using the Copenhagen Neck  Functional Disability Scale (CNFDS) and the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scale (mJOA).

Results: Out of 78 patients, most  were female (71.79%) and over 60 years old. Axial neck pain and radiculopathy were common clinical presentations, with moderate  severity at presentation predominating. Combined therapy was frequently used and showed better pain reduction than pharmacotherapy alone (p = 0.002) also initial disease severity significantly influenced pain reduction (p = 0.02).

Conclusion: The study  findings indicate that non-surgical treatments at MOI can notably alleviate initial pain in degenerative cervical spine disease patients, with  initial severity significantly influencing short-term outcomes. However, sensorimotor improvements from non-operative methods  were insufficient, warranting additional research for validation.