ArticleBMJ open2024
Exploring the association between Frailty Index and low back pain in middle-aged and older Chinese adults: a cross-sectional analysis of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).
Article in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- A systematic review on the associations between low back pain and frailty in community-dwelling older adults.Chiropractic & manual therapies · 2025Pooled it
- Association of nighttime sleep duration and quality with low back pain in middle-aged and elderly Chinese: a nationwide longitudinal cohort study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Association between weight-adjusted waist and incidence of low back pain: evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.Aging clinical and experimental research · 2026Review
- Association Between the Frailty Index and Self-Reported Headache in Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Adults: An Analysis of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.Pain research & management · 2026Article
- Frailty and Incident Low Back Pain in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Longitudinal Evidence and Genetic Triangulation.Journal of pain research · 2026Article
- Article
- Mediation of the frailty index, the relationship between sleep duration and chronic pain in different body regions: insights from the CHARLS cross-sectional study.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025Article
- Frailty index is positively associated with stroke risk in nationally representative cohorts from the united States and China.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Longitudinal association between frailty and pain in three prospective cohorts of older population.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2025Article
- Association of Individual and Contextual Factors with Chronic Spine Problems: An Analysis from the National Health Survey.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Joint association of frailty index and biological age with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cohort study from CHARLS.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The Interaction Among Depressive Symptoms, Pain, and Frailty in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis.Depression and anxiety · 2025Article
- Joint association of frailty and depression with new-onset digestive disease among elderly Chinese population.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- Article
- Estimating the impact of metabolic syndrome on low back pain and the joint effects of metabolic syndrome and depressive symptoms on low back pain: insights from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.BMC public health · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThis study explored the association between the Frailty Index (FI) and low back pain (LBP) in middle-aged and older Chinese adults. We hypothesised that a higher FI correlates with increased LBP prevalence.
designCross-sectional analysis.
settingThe study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) across various regions of China.
participantsThe analysis included 6375 participants aged 45 and above with complete LBP and FI data from the CHARLS for 2011, 2013 and 2015. We excluded individuals under 45, those with incomplete LBP data, participants with fewer than 30 health deficit items and those missing covariate data. OUTCOME MEASURES: We constructed an FI consisting of 35 health deficits. Logistic multivariable regression examined the relationship between FI and LBP, using threshold analysis to identify inflection points. Sensitivity analyses were performed to ensure the robustness of the findings.
resultsOf the participants, 27.2% reported LBP. A U-shaped association was observed between FI and LBP, with the highest quartile (Q4, FI ≥0.23) showing more than a twofold increased risk of LBP (OR=2.90, 95% CI: 2.45-3.42, p<0.001). Stratified analysis showed a significant association in participants under 60, particularly in the lowest FI quartile (OR=1.43, 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.79). Sensitivity analysis upheld the robustness of the primary results.
conclusionsThe findings suggest a complex relationship between frailty and LBP, highlighting the need for early screening and tailored interventions to manage LBP in this demographic. Further research is necessary to understand the mechanisms of this association and to validate the findings through longitudinal studies.
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