• C Bouton, G Roche, Y Roquelaure, E Legrand, D Penneau-Fontbonne, V Dubus, L Bontoux, J-F Huez, P Rucay, E Parot-Shinkel, S Fanello, and I Richard.
• Laboratoire d'ergonomie, epidémiologie et santé au travail, faculté de médicine, université d'Angers, rue Haute-de-Reculée, 49045 Angers cedex, France.
• Ann Readapt Med Phys. 2008 Nov 1;51(8):650-6, 656-62.

ObjectiveChronic low back pain is a major socioeconomic health issue, due to the high direct (healthcare) and indirect (sick leave) costs. The aim of the present study was to describe the primary care management of low back pain patients prior to their inclusion in a multidisciplinary functional restoration network.MethodsA descriptive, retrospective, questionnaire-based survey of the general practitioners dealing with 72 low back pain patients.ResultsPatients had been monitored by their general practitioner for an average of four years, with a mean frequency of eight appointments per year per patient. Ninety-three percent and 60% of the patients had been referred to a rheumatologist and a surgeon, respectively. Ninety-eight percent had had lumbar radiographies, 80% had undergone a computed tomography scan and 64% had undergone magnetic resonance imaging. The most commonly prescribed medications were anti-inflammatories and first- or second-line analgesics. Thirty percent had already received morphine analgesics and 50% had taken antidepressants. Thirty-two percent had undergone lumbar surgery. Physiotherapy was frequently reported and, indeed, 6% of patients had participated in over 100 sessions. Total sick leave averaged 8.25 months over the study's follow-up period.ConclusionThe time interval before referral to a multidisciplinary care team is long and so GPs should be encouraged and helped to organize this process earlier. It is also essential to determine factors which predict progression to chronic LBP.

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