Table 3 Summary of results from four articles reporting on five studies on puberty and back pain

Prevalence estimates of back pain

(Puberty stage: Number or percentage of children with BP/Number of individuals)

Stage 1 : 52/179

? : 15%/992 girls

? : 30.5%/1069 girls

Stage 2 : 22/68

? : 3.2%/1313 girls

Stage3 : 8/16

? : 11.1%/1004 boys

? : 22.1%/1018 boys

Stage 4 : 40/76

? : 2.1%/1325 boys

Stage 5 : 38/74

OR obtained by logistic regression

(Dependent variable : back pain/independent variable: puberty stage)

Unadjusted OR = 1.34 * (95% CI 1.13-1.57)

Unadjusted OR = 1.61* (95% CI 1.30-1.99)

Unadjusted values: Not provided

Unadjusted values: Not provided

Adjusted OR = 1.24 * (95% CI 1.04-1.46) ^a

Adjusted OR = 1.52* (95% CI 1.22-1.89)^a

Adjusted OR = 1.2* (95% CI 1.2-1.4)^b

Both: Adjusted OR = 1.23 (95% CI 0.77-1.96) ^c

Boys: Adjusted OR = 2.86 * (95% CI 1.14-7.15) ^c

Girls: Adjusted OR = 1.09 (95% CI 0.65-1.84)^c

Assumption of linearity fulfilled for logistic regression

Yes

Yes

Yes

Not reported

For both sexes:

For both sexes:

For girls only:

For boys only:

Unadjusted values:

Unadjusted values:

Unadjusted values:

Unadjusted values :

Dose-response (Odds ratios by puberty stage)

Puberty stage 1 (Index)

Puberty stage 1 (Index)

Puberty stage 1 (Index)

Puberty stage 2 OR = 1.34 ^#

Puberty stage 2 OR = 1.61^#

Puberty stage 2 OR = 1.1 (95%CI0.6-2.0)

Puberty stage

girls

boys

Puberty stage 3 OR = 1.79 ^#

Puberty stage 3 OR = 2.59^#

Puberty stage 3 OR = 2.3 (95%CI0.8-6.5)

1

(Index)

(index)

not provided

Puberty stage 4 OR = 2.4^#

Puberty stage 4 OR = 4.17^#

Puberty stage 4 OR = 2.6 (95%CI1.5-4.7)

2

OR = 2^#

OR = 1.9^#

Adjusted values^a:

Adjusted values^a:

Puberty stage 5 OR = 2.4 (95%CI1.4-4.3)

3

OR = 4^#

OR = 3.61^#

4

OR = 7.99^#

OR = 6.86^#

Puberty stage 1 (Index)

Puberty stage 1 (Index)

Adjusted values^b:

Adjusted values^c

Puberty stage 2 OR = 1.24 ^#

Puberty stage 2 OR = 1.52 ^#

Puberty stage 1 (Index)

Puberty stage 1 (Index)

Puberty stage 3 OR = 1.54 ^#

Puberty stage 3 OR = 2.3 ^#

Puberty stage 2 OR = 1.1 (95%CI 0.7-2.0)

Puberty Stage 2 OR = 2.86^#

Puberty stage 4 OR = 1.9 ^#

Puberty stage 4 OR = 3.5 ^#

Puberty stage 3 OR = 1.6 (95%CI 0.5-4.6)

Puberty Stage 3 OR = 8.18^#

Puberty stage 4 OR = 2.0 (95%CI 1.3-3.5)*

Puberty Stage 4 OR = 23.4^#

Puberty stage 5 OR = 2.1 (95%CI 1.1-4.1)*

Strength of association based on index versus last stage of puberty

Puberty stage 4

Puberty stage 4

Puberty stage 5

Puberty stage 4

Unadjusted OR = 2.4^#

Unadjusted OR = 4.17^#

Unadjusted OR = 2.4 (95%CI 1.4-4.3)

Adjusted OR = 1.9 ^{# a}

Adjusted OR = 3.5 ^#

Adjusted OR = 2.1 (95%CI 1.1-4.1)* ^b

Adjusted OR = 23.4^{# c}

Temporality tested

Positive association noted between puberty stage at baseline and BP at follow-up after adjustment for back pain at baseline

Positive association noted between puberty stage at baseline and BP at follow-up after adjustment for back pain at baseline

NA

NA