A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL ON EFFICACY OF ANALGESIC EFFECT OF 5% DEXTROSE CAUDAL EPIDURAL INJECTION FOR NON-SPECIFIC CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN

Abstract

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a major health issue that causes more disability and global burden than any other conditions. It is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders. Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is dened as a pain that persists for more than 3 months, or longer than the expected healing period. It is associated with increased medical expenditure, work absence, and loss of quality of life. This study aims to ascertain efcacy of 5% dextrose (D5W) in chronic non-specic low back pain. Material and Methods: This study is conducted on patient suffering from chronic low back pain presenting in Department of PM&R, SMS Hospital, Jaipur. It is a Single blind randomized control trial study. We include 34 patients of non-specic chronic LBPin each group as sample size which is further enhanced and rounded off to 40 patients in each group as nal sample size expecting 10% attrition/drop out. Results: We found that mean age of our study group is 49 years. This is female dominant study with 56.25% patients. Dextrose participants reported greater Numerical Rating scale pain score change at baseline (6.4 vs 6.25 points, p=0.59), but there is signicant reduction of mean NRS st nd rd st pain score at 1 week (4.9 vs 5.4 points, p=01), 2 week (4 vs 5.45 points, p=0.0001), 3 week (3.15 vs 5.32 points, p=0.<0.0001), 1 month (2.95 vs nd rd 5.32 points, p=<0.0001), 2 month (2.9 vs 5.32 points, p=<0.0001) and 3 month (2.82 vs 5.32 points, p=<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Serial caudal epidural injection of D5W resulted in consistent post injection analgesia and clinically signicant improvement in pain through 3 months among participants with non-specic CLBP. Patients with CLBPcan be treated effectively by using 5% dextrose.