Effect of combined pharmacotherapy on the quality of life in patients with low back pain

Abstract

Low back pain is a frequent symptom with which patients turn to doctors of various specialities. This is conditioned by its debilitating course and, not infrequently, to the lack of substantial improvement due to the conducted treatment, resulting in the significant reduction in the quality of life. The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of a medicinal food product and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug on the quality of life in patients with low back pain. The quality of life was assessed both in the control group (15) and in patients with low back pain (69) at the beginning of the therapy and on day 29, that is, after 28 days of treatment with theramine and tenoxicam and their combination, using the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 assessment questionnaire. Significant negative changes in indicators of both physical and mental components of health were revealed. It was established that in terms of impact on the quality of life in patients with low back pain, monotherapy with theramine and tenoxicam is inferior to their combined use. The highest physical activity level has been found to follow taking combined medication and the lowest one – after tenoxicam intake, the similar changes having been found with the indicator of physical role functioning. Pain intensity was best affected by combined therapy, the effect of theramin and tenoxicam being similar. It is also shown that theramine prevailed over tenoxicam in terms of its effect on indicators of physical and mental components of health. The results of the research on theramine and its combined use with tenoxicam should be included in the treatment programme for patients with low back pain in order to improve the quality of life