A Clinical Study on Back Pain after Lumbar Puncture on Aseptic Meningitis

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study is to assess the occurence rate, severity, and duration of the back pain after lumbar puncture. METHODS: The occurence rate, severity and duration of the back pain that developed after lumbar puncture were recorded prospectively in patients with aseptic meningitis who had been admitted to the department of Pediatrics, St. Benedict Hospital in Pusan, from May 1993 to July 1993. The cases with traumatic taps, repeated taps, undelying diseases and age group below 2 year were excluded. The overall number of cases included in this study was 136. RESULTS: 1) In the 136 patients, back pain was developed in 53 cases (39.0%) after lumbar puncture and mean age of 53 cases was 5.4+/-2.8 years and male to female ratio was 1.41. 23 cases (16.9%) were mild, 17 cases (12.5%) were moderate and 13 cases (9.6%) were severe. 2) On each age group, the incidence of back pain was as followed These were 21 patients (38.9%) out of 54 cases in group 1 (2-4 yrs), 22 patients (37.3%) out of 59 cases in group 2 (5-8 yrs) and 10 patients (43.5%) out of 23 cases in group 3 (9-12yrs). After lumbar puncture, there were no significant correlations between occurence rate of back pain and age groups. 3) The mean intervals between onset of back pain and lumbar puncture were 0.5 day in 8 patients, 0.5-1.0 day in 25 patients (47.2%), 1.0-1.5 days in 12 patients (22.6%), and 1.5-2.0 days in 4 patients. 4) The mean duration of the back pain was 2.4+/-1.3 days, and 1.4+/-0.8 days in mild pain group, 2.9+/-1.2 days in moderate pain group and 3.3+/-1.2 days in severe pain group. The mean duration of the back pain was significantly longer in moderate and severe pain groups than mild pain group (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In the patient with aseptic meningitis, occurence rate of the back pain after lumbar puncture was 39.0%. All back pain were subsided within six days after onset of pain.