Abstract
PURPOSE To examine the acute effect of opioid analgesia on lumbar exercise test performance in Chronic Lower Back Pain (CLBP). METHODS 28 subjects (mean age 54 years) with CLBP of moderate intensity according to the Oswestry Back Disability Score (mean score 5.7) performed the Biering-Sorensen test twice, once after receiving 1 mcg/kg fentanyl intravenously and once after placebo in a randomized double blind crossover design. Naloxone 3 mcg/kg was administered after the fentanyl phase. RESULTS Fentanyl administration reduced the mean pain rating from 4.0 +/− 2.1 to 3.1 +/− 2.2 on a 0–10 verbal scale (p < 0.05). Mean +/− SD test performance was 77 +/− 49 sec in the fentanyl arm and 60 +/− 42 sec in the placebo arm (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Fentanyl is associated with an improvement in exercise test performance in CLBP. This finding supports the use of fentanyl and similar agents as a means of improving function in CLBP. Supported by University of Alberta Hospitals Foundation
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