• Xuguang Grant Tao, Robert A Lavin, Larry Yuspeh, and Edward J Bernacki.
• From the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Drs Tao and Bernacki), Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md; Department of Neurology (Dr Lavin), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore; and Strategic Risk and Strategy Management (Mr Yuspeh), Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation, Baton Rouge, La.
• J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2014 Feb 1;56(2):195-203.

ObjectiveAssess the relationship between performing lumbar epidural steroid injections (ESIs) after lumbar surgery and workers' compensation claim duration and cost.MethodsA multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between performing ESI after the first lumbar surgery in 11,394 lost time injury claims filed from 1999 to 2002 followed for 7 years postinjury.ResultsOdds ratio of costs more than $100,000 is 6.49 (95% confidence interval: 4.30 to 9.81) for ever having lumbar ESI after the first lumbar surgery, compared with no spinal procedures, controlling for sex, age, attorney involvement, opioid use, other spinal procedures, and claim duration. Odds ratio of having claim duration longer than 1000 days was 14.73 (95% confidence interval: 7.01 to 30.95).ConclusionLumbar ESI after the first lumbar surgery was associated with high cost and longer claim duration.

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