DOES OBESITY AFFECT THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTIONS IN OLDER ADULTS?

Introduction: Obesity is an increasing concern among older adults and may affect the clinical outcomes of epidural steroid injections. This study assesses the impact of obesity on the treatment outcomes of epidural steroid injections in geriatric patients. Materials and Method: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 101 older adults who received epidural steroid injections. Patients were categorized into three groups based on their body mass index: normal weight (<25 kg/m²), overweight (25–29.9 kg/m²), or obese (≥30 kg/m²). Pain scores were documented before the procedure, one hour after the procedure, and one month after the procedure. Results: The average age of the participants was 73.95 years (range: 65–89 years), and the mean body mass index was 29.44 ± 4.75 kg/m². The mean preprocedural numeric rating scale score was 8.17 ± 1.21. Average pain scores at one hour (0.66) and one month (4.32) following the procedure were significantly lower than the pre-procedural scores (P < 0.001). Radiation time (P = 0.044) and radiation dose (P = 0.047) were significantly higher in the obese group. Nevertheless, no significant differences were observed between the groups concerning gender, age, symptom duration, procedure type, complications, pain scores, or treatment success. Conclusions: Obesity does not adversely affect the treatment outcomes of epidural injections in older adults. Epidural steroid injections can be safely administered to obese elderly patients with a low complication rate. Keywords: Aged; Low Back Pain; Injection, Epidural; Obesity; Body Mass Index.