OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of painful lumbosacral radiculopathy (PLSR) on individuals’ ability to work, ability to participate in everyday activities, and quality of life.

METHODS: This study used linked patient and physician-reported outcomes data from the Adelphi Neuropathic Pain Disease Specific Programme, a cross-sectional survey which included individuals with PLSR from France and Germany. Information on employment, functional abilities, and quality of life were obtained from patient surveys. Absenteeism (work time missed), presenteeism (reduced on-the-job effectiveness), overall work impairment, and activity impairment were measured using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) Questionnaire. Health status, ability impairment, and quality of life were captured using the EQ-5D-5L.

RESULTS: This study included 206 PLSR patients; 51% were male and the average age was 61 years (SD 12.3). Among these patients, 4% were unemployed, with 38% of those individuals (1.5% overall) attributing their unemployment to neuropathic pain. Forty-four percent of individuals were employed either full- or part-time. Among those who were employed, absenteeism was 20.1%, presenteeism was 31.5%, and work impairment was 37.7%. Among all PLSR patients, the overall activity impairment measured by the WPAI was 42.6%. The health status of PLSR patients measured by the mean EQ-5D-5L was 0.70 (SD 0.24) and 61.4 (SD 19.2) for the VAS score. Sixty-four percent of PLSR patients reported moderate/severe/extreme pain or discomfort and 43% reported moderate/severe/extreme depression or anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals with PLSR who were employed, almost 40% had work impairment. Over 40% of individuals with PLSR also suffered from impairment in their everyday activities, with low scores on health status measures. Additionally, almost half of PLSR patients reported moderate to extreme depression or anxiety. Collectively, these data suggest a significant socioeconomic burden of PLSR and further substantiate the need for effective pain management in this debilitating condition.