Low Back Pain Outcomes Research Articles

Classification of Geriatric Low Back Pain Based on Hip Characteristics With a 12-Month Longitudinal Exploration of Clinical Outcomes: Findings From Delaware Spine Studies.

The purpose of this study is to identify geriatric chronic low back pain (LBP) subgroups based on the presence of potentially modifiable hip impairments, using Latent Variable Mixture Modeling (LVMM), and to examine the prospective relationship between these subgroups and key outcomes over time. Baseline, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month data were collected from a prospective cohort of 250 community-dwelling older adults with chronic LBP. Comprehensive hip (symptoms, strength, range of motion, and flexibility), LBP (intensity and disability), and mobility function (gait speed and 6-Minute Walk Test) examinations were performed at each timepoint. Baseline hip measures were included in LVMM; observed classes/subgroups were compared longitudinally on LBP and mobility function outcomes using mixed models. Regarding LVMM, a model with 3 classes/subgroup fit best. Broadly speaking, subgroups were differentiated best by hip strength and symptom presence: subgroup 1 = strong and nonsymptomatic, subgroup 2 = weak and nonsymptomatic, and subgroup 3 = weak and symptomatic (WS). Regarding longitudinal mixed models, all subgroups improved in most outcomes over time. Specifically, over 12months, the nonsymptomatic subgroups had lower LBP intensity and disability levels compared with the WS subgroup, whereas the strong and nonsymptomatic subgroup had better mobility function than the 2 "weak" subgroups. These subgroup classifications may help in tailoring specific interventions in future trials. Special attention should be given to the WS subgroup given their consistently poor LBP and mobility function outcomes. Among older adults with chronic low back pain, there are 3 hip subgroups: "strong and nonsymptomatic," "weak and nonsymptomatic," and "weak and symptomatic." People in these subgroups demonstrate different outcomes and require different treatment; proper identification will result in tailored interventions designed to benefit individual patients. In particular, people in the WS subgroup deserve special attention, because their outcomes are consistently poorer than those in the other subgroups.

A cross-sectional analysis of persistent low back pain, using correlations between lumbar stiffness, pressure pain threshold, and heat pain threshold

IntroductionLittle is known about the underlying biomechanical cause of low back pain (LBP). Recently, technological advances have made it possible to quantify biomechanical and neurophysiological measurements, potentially relevant factors in understanding LBP etiology. However, few studies have explored the relation between these factors. This study aims to quantify the correlation between biomechanical and neurophysiological outcomes in non-specific LBP and examine whether these correlations differ when considered regionally vs. segmentally.MethodsThis is a secondary cross-sectional analysis of 132 participants with persistent non-specific LBP. Biomechanical data included spinal stiffness (global stiffness) measured by a rolling indenter. Neurophysiological data included pain sensitivity (pressure pain threshold and heat pain threshold) measured by a pressure algometer and a thermode. Correlations were tested using Pearson’s product-moment correlation or Spearman’s rank correlation as appropriate. The association between these outcomes and the segmental level was tested using ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey corrected comparisons.ResultsA moderate positive correlation was found between spinal stiffness and pressure pain threshold, i.e., high degrees of stiffness were associated with high pressure pain thresholds. The correlation between spinal stiffness and heat pain threshold was poor and not statistically significant. Aside from a statistically significant minor association between the lower and the upper lumbar segments and stiffness, no other segmental relation was shown.ConclusionsThe moderate correlation between spinal stiffness and mechanical pain sensitivity was the opposite of expected, meaning higher degrees of stiffness was associated with higher pressure pain thresholds. No clinically relevant segmental association existed.

Association Between Depressive Symptoms or Depression and Health Outcomes for Low Back Pain: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Study results vary on whether depressive symptoms are associated with worse prognosis for low back pain (LBP). We assessed the association between depressive symptoms or depression and health outcomes in persons with LBP. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO from inception to June 2020. Eligible studies were cohort and case-control studies assessing the association between depressive symptoms (questionnaires) or depression (diagnoses) and health outcomes in persons aged ≥16 years with LBP in the absence of major pathology. Reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. We classified exploratory versus confirmatory studies based onphases of prognostic factor investigation. We conducted random-effects meta-analyses and descriptive synthesis where appropriate. Of 13,221 citations screened, we included 62 studies (63,326 participants; 61 exploratory studies, 1 confirmatory study). For acute LBP, depressive symptoms were associated with self-reported disability (descriptive synthesis: 6 studies), worse recovery (descriptive synthesis: 5 studies), and slower traffic injury-related claim closure (1 study), but not pain or work-related outcomes. Depressive symptoms were associated with greater primary healthcare utilization for acute LBP (1 confirmatory study). For chronic LBP, depressive symptoms were associated withhigher pain intensity (descriptive synthesis: 9 studies; meta-analysis: 3 studies, 2902 participants, β=0.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.05-0.17), disability (descriptive synthesis: 6 studies; meta-analysis: 5 studies, 3549 participants, β=0.16, 95% CI 0.04-0.29), and worse recovery (descriptive synthesis: 2 studies; meta-analysis: 2 studies, 13,263 participants, relative risk (RR)=0.91, 95% CI 0.88-0.95), but not incident chronic widespread pain (1 study). Depressive symptoms may be associated with self-reported disability and worse recovery in persons with acute and chronic LBP, and greater primary healthcare utilization for acute LBP. Our review provides high-quality prognostic factor information for LBP. Healthcare delivery that addresses depressive symptoms may improve disability and recovery in persons with LBP. Confirmatory studies are needed to assess the association between depressive symptoms and health outcomes in persons with LBP. PROSPERO database (CRD42019130047).

Functional Disruptions of the Brain in Low Back Pain: A Potential Imaging Biomarker of Functional Disability.

Chronic low back pain (LBP) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. While LBP research has largely focused on the spine, many studies have demonstrated a restructuring of human brain architecture accompanying LBP and other chronic pain states. Brain imaging presents a promising source for discovering noninvasive biomarkers that can improve diagnostic and prognostication outcomes for chronic LBP. This study evaluated graph theory measures derived from brain resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) as prospective noninvasive biomarkers of LBP. We also proposed and tested a hybrid feature selection method (Enet-subset) that combines Elastic Net and an optimal subset selection method. We collected resting-state functional MRI scans from 24 LBP patients and 27 age-matched healthy controls (HC). We then derived graph-theoretical features and trained a support vector machine (SVM) to classify patient group. The degree centrality (DC), clustering coefficient (CC), and betweenness centrality (BC) were found to be significant predictors of patient group. We achieved an average classification accuracy of 83.1% (p < 0.004) and AUC of 0.937 (p < 0.002), respectively. Similarly, we achieved a sensitivity and specificity of 87.0 and 79.7%. The classification results from this study suggest that graph matrices derived from rsFC can be used as biomarkers of LBP. In addition, our findings suggest that the proposed feature selection method, Enet-subset, might act as a better technique to remove redundant variables and improve the performance of the machine learning classifier.

Reliability, validity and discriminability of patient reported outcomes for non-specific low back pain in a nationwide physical therapy registry: A retrospective observational cohort study.

A national clinical registry was established in the Netherlands containing data directly sampled from electronic health record systems of physical therapists (PTs). This registry aims to evaluate the potential of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) to develop quality indicators (QIs) in physical therapy care. To test to what extent the collected PROM data are reliable, valid and discriminatory between practices in measuring outcomes of patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). In this retrospective cohort study 865 PT practices with 6,560 PTs voluntarily collected PROM data of patients with NSLBP, using the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QBPDS), the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and the Patient Specific Functioning Scale (PSFS). Reliability was determined by analysing the completeness of the dataset, the comparability by using national reference data, and through checking selection bias in the included patients. Validity was tested using the known-groups contrast between patients with (sub)acute vs. chronic NSLBP. To determine discriminative ability of outcomes between PT practices, case-mix corrected hierarchical multilevel analyses were performed. Reliability was sufficient by confirming fifteen of the sixteen hypotheses: 59% of all patients opted in for data analysis, 42% of these included patients showed repeated measurement, comparing with reference data and potential selection bias showed < 5% between group differences, while differences between (sub)acute and chronic NSLB-groups were significantly larger than 5% (less treatment sessions, lager differences in outcomes in (sub)acute NSLB patients). In addition, all nine adjusted hierarchical multilevel models confirm that the collected dataset on outcomes in PT care is able to discriminate between practices using PROM results of patients with NSLBP (ICC-scores range 0.11-0.21). Although we have shown the reliability, validity and discriminative ability of the dataset in the quest to develop QIs, we are aware that reducing missing values in patient records and the selective participation of PTs that belong to the innovators needs attention in the next stages of implementation to avoid bias in the results. PROMs of patients with NSLBP collected in the national clinical registry of KNGF are reliable, valid and able to discriminate between primary care PT practices.

Tibetan herbal pain-relieving plaster for low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Ethnopharmacological relevanceTibetan traditional medicine CheeZheng Pain-Relieving Plaster (CZPRP) is frequently used as an over-the-counter external analgesic for musculoskeletal pain; however, its evidence for low back pain (LBP) has not been evaluated. Aim of the studyThis study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of CZPRP for both acute, subacute and chronic LBP through a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Materials and methodsPubMed, CENTRAL, CNKI, CQVIP, and Wanfang databases were searched through April 20, 2020 for randomized controlled trials of CZPRP for LBP. Eligible comparators were placebo, active treatment, or usual care. Clinical outcomes included pain severity, lower back function score, pain-free rate, and adverse events (AEs). Qualitative evaluations were conducted using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tools. Quantitative analyses were conducted using a random-effects model. ResultsThis study includes 1674 LBP patients from nine clinical studies. Pooled analyses among subjects with acute LBP show 1) significant pain reductions (mean difference −0.84, 95% confidence interval[CI] −1.31, −0.37) in CZPRP plus diclofenac versus diclofenac, 2) significant improvements in lower back function (standard mean difference −1.50, 95% CI −2.16, −0.85) in CZPRP versus diclofenac, and 3) a higher pain-free rate in CZPRP alone (risk ratio 1.48, 95% CI 1.16, 1.89; I2 = 61%) or CZPRP plus nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (risk ratio 1.66, 95% CI 1.14, 2.40; I2 = 0%) versus NSAIDs. However, in a heterogeneous population with mixed LBP subtypes, there was no significant difference in pain outcomes between CZPRP and diclofenac. Additionally, CZPRP use did not increase AEs compared with no CZPRP (p = 0.40). All nine studies are associated with moderate to high risk of bias. ConclusionsThe use of CZPRP is associated with improved acute LBP outcomes compared to diclofenac. However, due to the moderate to high risk of bias of the studies, future rigorous randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate the effects of CZPRP for acute and chronic LBP.

Direct and mediated effects of treatment context on low back pain outcome: a prospective cohort study

ObjectivesContextual components of treatment previously associated with patient outcomes include the environment, therapeutic relationship and expectancies. Questions remain about which components are most important, how they influence outcomes and comparative...

Impact of COVID-19 on utilization of nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatments for chronic low back pain and clinical outcomes.

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the delivery of health care services throughout the United States, including those for patients with chronic pain. To measure changes in patients' utilization of nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatments for chronic low back pain and related outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pre-post study was conducted within the Pain Registry for Epidemiological, Clinical, and Interventional Studies and Innovation (PRECISION Pain Research Registry) using data in the 3 months before and 3-6months after the declaration of a national emergency related to COVID-19. Participants 21-79 years old with chronic low back pain were included in the study and provided self reported data at relevant quarterly encounters. Use of exercise therapy, yoga, massage therapy, spinal manipulation, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, and opioids for low back pain was measured. The primary outcomes were low back pain intensity and back related functioning measured with a numerical rating scale and the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, respectively. Secondary outcomes included health related quality of life scales measured with the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System, including scales for physical function, anxiety, depression, low energy/fatigue, sleep disturbance, participation in social roles and activities, and pain interference with activities. A total of 476 participants were included in this study. The mean age of participants at baseline was 54.0 years (standard deviation, ±13.2 years; range, 22-81 years). There were 349 (73.3%) female participants and 127 (26.7%) male participants in the study. Utilization of exercise therapy (odds ratio [OR], 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-0.57), massage therapy (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25-0.83), and spinal manipulation (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.29-0.93) decreased during the pandemic. A reduction in NSAID use was also observed (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.45-0.99). Participants reported a significant, but not clinically relevant, improvement in low back pain intensity during the pandemic (mean improvement, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.03-0.34; Cohen's d, 0.11). However, White participants reported a significant improvement in low back pain intensity (mean improvement, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.10-0.46), whereas Black participants did not (mean improvement,-0.13; 95% CI,-0.46 to 0.19; p for interaction=0.03). Overall, there was a significant and clinically relevant improvement in pain interference with activities (mean improvement, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.20-2.02; Cohen's d, 0.20). The use of NSAIDs during the pandemic was associated with marginal increases in low back pain intensity. Overall, decreased utilization of treatments for chronic low back pain did not adversely impact pain and functioning outcomes during the first 6 months of the pandemic. However, Black participants experienced significantly worse pain outcomes than their White counterparts.

The catastrophization effects of an MRI report on the patient and surgeon and the benefits of 'clinical reporting': results from an RCT and blinded trials.

Inappropriate use of MRI leads to increasing interventions and surgeries for low back pain (LBP). We probed the potential effects of a routine MRI report on the patient's perception of his spine and functional outcome of treatment. An alternate 'clinical reporting' was developed and tested for benefits on LBP perception. In Phase-I, 44 LBP patients were randomized to Group A who had a factual explanation of their MRI report or Group B, who were reassured that the MRI findings showed normal changes. The outcome was compared at 6 weeks by VAS, PSEQ-2, and SF-12. In Phase-II, clinical reporting was developed, avoiding potential catastrophizing terminologies. In Phase-III, 20 MRIs were reported by both routine and clinical methods. The effects of the two methods were tested on four categories of health care professionals (HCP) who read them blinded on their assessment of severity of disease, possible treatment required, and the probability of surgery. Both groups were comparable initial by demographics and pain. After 6 weeks of treatment, Group A had a more negative perception of their spinal condition, increased catastrophization, decreased pain improvement, and poorer functional status(p = significant for all). The alternate method of clinical reporting had significant benefits in assessment of lesser severity of the disease, shift to lesser severity of intervention and surgery in three groups of HCPs. Routine MRI reports produce a negative perception and poor functional outcomes in LBP. Focussed clinical reporting had significant benefits, which calls for the need for 'clinical reporting' rather than 'Image reporting'.

Effectiveness and Quality of Implementing a Best Practice Model of Care for Low Back Pain (BetterBack) Compared with Routine Care in Physiotherapy: A Hybrid Type 2 Trial.

Low back pain (LBP) occurs in all ages and first-line treatment by physiotherapists is common. The main aim of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a best practice model of care for LBP (intervention group—BetterBack☺ MoC) compared to routine physiotherapy care (control group) regarding longitudinal patient reported outcomes. The BetterBack☺ MoC contains clinical guideline recommendations and support tools to facilitate clinician adherence to guidelines. A secondary exploratory aim was to compare patient outcomes based on the fidelity of fulfilling a clinical practice quality index regarding physiotherapist care. A stepped cluster randomized design nested patients with LBP in the three clusters which were allocated to control (n = 203) or intervention (n = 264). Patient reported measures were collected at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months and analyzed with mixed model regression. The primary outcome was between-group changes from baseline to 3 months for pain intensity and disability. Implementation of the BetterBack☺ MoC did not show any between-group differences in the primary outcomes compared with routine care. However, the intervention group showed significantly higher satisfaction at 3 months and clinically meaningful greater improvement in LBP illness perception at 3 months and quality of life at 3 and 6 months but not in patient enablement and global impression of change compared with the control group. Physiotherapists’ care that adhered to all clinical practice quality indices resulted in an improvement of most patient reported outcomes with a clinically meaningful greater improved LBP illness perception at 3 months and quality of life at 3 and 6 months, significantly greater improvement in LBP illness perception, pain and satisfaction at 3 and 6 months and significantly better enablement at all time points as well as better global improvement outcomes at 3 months compared with non-adherent care. This highlights the importance of clinical guideline based primary care for improving patient reported LBP outcomes.

Management approach combining prognostic screening and targeted treatment for patients with low back pain compared with standard physiotherapy: A systematic review & meta-analysis.

Research evidence suggests that a stratified care management approach is better at improving clinical and economic outcomes for low back pain (LBP) patients compared with usual care in the short-term. However, it is uncertain if these health and economic benefits are sustainable in the longer term. To determine the effectiveness of stratified care compared with standard physiotherapy for LBP treatment. A comprehensive search was undertaken of seven electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Pedro, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Register for Controlled Trials and Web of Science with full text. No time limits were applied, but studies were limited to English language publications and those involving human participants. Two independent reviewers undertook study selection, data extraction and appraisal of study RESULTS: In total, 6,842 patients (18 years and above) were included in the 8 trials reviewed - 4 were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and the other 4 were non-RCTs. The pooled analysis of 3 studies (n = 2,460) demonstrated a strong evidence in favour of stratified care over standard care at improving overall pain (WMD [random] 0.46 [95% CI 0.21, 0.71]; P < 0.0003), with overall effect (Z = 3.6) and (RMDQ) scores (WMD [random] 0.71 [95% CI 0.05, 1.37]; P < 0.03), with overall effect (Z = 2.11) at 3, 4- and 6-months follow-up periods. This current review demonstrated that a stratified care approach provides substantial clinical, economic and health related cost benefits in the medium and high-risk subgroups compared with usual care. Further research is needed for longer-term benefits.

Text Messaging and Web-Based Survey System to Recruit Patients With Low Back Pain and Collect Outcomes in the Emergency Department: Observational Study.

BackgroundLow back pain (LBP) is a frequent reason for emergency department (ED) presentations, with a global prevalence of 4.4%. Despite being common, the number of clinical trials investigating LBP in the ED is low. Recruitment of patients in EDs can be challenging because of the fast-paced and demanding ED environment.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to describe the recruitment and response rates using an SMS text messaging and web-based survey system supplemented by telephone calls to recruit patients with LBP and collect health outcomes in the ED.MethodsAn automated SMS text messaging system was integrated into Research Electronic Data Capture and used to collect patient-reported outcomes for an implementation trial in Sydney, Australia. We invited patients with nonserious LBP who presented to participating EDs at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after ED discharge. Patients who did not respond to the initial SMS text message invitation were sent a reminder SMS text message or contacted via telephone. The recruitment rate was measured as the proportion of patients who agreed to participate, and the response rate was measured as the proportion of participants completing the follow-up surveys at weeks 2 and 4. Regression analyses were used to explore factors associated with response rates.ResultsIn total, 807 patients with nonserious LBP were invited to participate and 425 (53.0%) agreed to participate. The week 1 survey was completed by 51.5% (416/807) of participants. At week 2, the response rate was 86.5% (360/416), and at week 4, it was 84.4% (351/416). Overall, 60% of the surveys were completed via SMS text messaging and on the web and 40% were completed via telephone. Younger participants and those from less socioeconomically disadvantaged areas were more likely to respond to the survey via the SMS text messaging and web-based system.ConclusionsUsing an SMS text messaging and web-based survey system supplemented by telephone calls is a viable method for recruiting patients with LBP and collecting health outcomes in the ED. This hybrid system could potentially reduce the costs of using traditional recruitment and data collection methods (eg, face-to-face, telephone calls only).International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2017-019052

A prospective cohort study of low-back outcomes and alternative measures of cumulative external and internal vibration load on the lumbar spine of professional drivers.

Objective:The aim of this study was to compare the performance of alternative measures of cumulative lifetime vibration dose to predict the occurrence of low-back pain (LBP) outcomes in a cohort of 537 professional drivers investigated at baseline and over a two-year follow up period.Methods:The exposure data obtained in the EU VIBRISKS project were used to calculate alternative measures of either acceleration- (external) or force- (internal) based lifetime vibration doses. Vibration was measured in representative samples of machines and vehicles used by the drivers. Internal lumbar forces were calculated by means of anatomy-, posture-, and anthropometry-based finite element models. The relations of LBP outcomes to alternative measures of lifetime vibration doses were assessed by the generalized estimating equations method.Results:Metrics of cumulative vibration exposure constructed with either acceleration- or force-based methods were significantly associated with the occurrence of LBP outcomes. A measure of model fitting suggested that force-based doses were better predictors of LBP outcomes than acceleration-based doses. Models with force root-mean-square doses provided a better fit to LBP outcomes than those with force-peak doses.Conclusions:Measures of internal lumbar forces were better predictors of LBP outcomes than measures of external vibration acceleration although the exposure metrics constructed with the acceleration-based method have the advantage of greater simplicity compared to the force-based method. The differences between the models with force-based doses suggest that the cumulative health effects on the lumbar spine might depend on the integrated resulting total force over the entire exposure time rather than primarily on the force peaks.

Whole-Body Vibration in Bus Drivers: Association with Physical Fitness and Low Back Pain

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between exposure to whole body vibration, prevalence of low back pain and level of physical fitness in bus drivers. The measurement of whole body vibration was in 100 city buses with different characteristics and the prevalence of low back pain was assessed in 200 drivers with a measurement of physical fitness level. Descriptive statistics with mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics were used with the Kurskal-Wallis test, Dunn's multiple comparisons test, Poisson regression and significance level of p &lt;0.05. The results demonstrate significant differences between the vehicle models, characterizing the conventional and articulated buses on the y and z axes with higher levels of vibration. Drivers working with conventional and articulated vehicles had a higher prevalence of low back pain with 57.5 and 60%, respectively. The level of physical fitness was low in most of the sample, however, the drivers of bi-articulated and micro bus had higher levels. Poisson regression with the outcome of low back pain, showed the factors that showed a significant prediction: age, working time, abdominal muscle resistance, lumbar strength, RMSy and RMSz.

The Relationship of the Therapeutic Alliance to Patient Characteristics and Functional Outcome During an Episode of Physical Therapy Care for Patients With Low Back Pain: An Observational Study

Research supports the relevance of the therapeutic alliance (TA) between patients and physical therapists on outcomes, but the impact of TA during routine physical therapist practice has not been quantified. The primary objective of this study was to examine the relationship between TA assessed during a physical therapy episode of care for patients with low back pain and functional outcome at the conclusion of care. The secondary objective was to examine psychometric properties of the Working Alliance Inventory-Short Revised (WAI-SR) form, a patient-reported TA measure. This study was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from 676 patients (mean [SD] age=55.6 [16.1] y; 55.9% female) receiving physical therapy for low back pain in 45 outpatient clinics from 1 health system in the United States. Participating clinics routinely collect patient-reported data at initial, interim, and final visits. The lumbar computer-adapted test (LCAT) was used to evaluate functional outcome. The TA was assessed from the patient's perspective at interim assessments using the WAI-SR, bivariate correlations were examined, and regression models were examined if interim WAI-SR scores explained outcome variance beyond a previously validated multivariate prediction model. Internal consistency and ceiling effects for the WAI-SR were examined. Interim WAI-SR scores were not correlated with patient characteristics or initial LCAT, but they were correlated with final LCAT and LCAT change from initial to final assessment. WAI-SR total score (adjusted R2=0.36), and Task (adjusted R2=0.38) and Goal subscales (adjusted R2=0.35) explained additional variance in outcome beyond the base model (adjusted R2=0.33). Internal consistency was higher for WAI-SR total score (α=.88) than for subscales (α=.76-.82). Substantial ceiling effects were observed for all WAI-SR scores (27.2%-63.6%). Findings support the importance of TA in physical therapist practice. Measurement challenges were identified, most notably ceiling effects. This study supports the impact of the patient-physical therapist alliance on functional outcome. Results extend similar findings from controlled studies into a typical physical therapist practice setting. Better understanding of the role of contextual factors including the therapeutic alliance might be key to improving the magnitude of treatment effect for discrete physical therapist interventions and enhancing clinical outcomes of physical therapy episodes of care.

Searching for the optimal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) target combined with peripheral electrical stimulation in chronic low back pain: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Backgroud: Low back pain (LBP) has been associated with severe impairments, primarily related to activities of daily living, functional ability and quality of life. A multimodal approach to pain management, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and peripheral electrical stimulation (PES), may improve outcomes in chronic LBP. However, the optimal cerebral target for stimulation still remains controversial. This pilot trial aims to investigate whether active stimulation could promote additional gains to the PES results in LBP patients. Our secondary objective is to investigate whether the stimulation of primary motor cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex results in distinct clinical effects for the patients involved. Methods: Sixty patients with chronic low back pain will be randomized into one of three tDCS groups associated with PES: motor primary cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and sham stimulation. Each group will receive transcranial direct current stimulation at an intensity of 2 mA for 30 minutes daily for 10 consecutive days. Patients will be assessed with a Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short - Form Health Survey (SF-36) and electromyography at baseline, endpoint (after 10 sessions) and 1-month follow up. Discussion: This study will help to clarify the additive effects of tDCS combined with peripheral electrical stimulation on pain relief, muscle function and improvement in quality of life. Additionally, we will provide data to identify optimal targets for management of chronic low back pain.

Evaluating Different Measures of Low Back Pain Among U.S. Manual Materials Handling Workers: Comparisons of Demographic, Psychosocial, and Job Physical Exposure.

To examine differences in demographic, psychosocial, and job physical exposure risk factors between multiple low back pain (LBP) outcomes in a prospective cohort of industrial workers. LBP remains a leading cause of lost industrial productivity. Different case definitions involving pain (general LBP), medication use (M-LBP), seeking healthcare (H-LBP), and lost time (L-LBP) are often used to study LBP outcomes. However, the relationship between these outcomes remains unclear. Demographic, health status, psychosocial, and job physical exposure risk factors were quantified for 635 incident-eligible industrial workers. Incident cases of LBP outcomes and pain symptoms were quantified and compared across the four outcomes. Differences in age, gender, medical history, and LBP history were found between the four outcomes. Most incident-eligible workers (67%) suffered an LBP outcome during follow-up. Cases decreased from 420 for LBP (25.4 cases/100 person-years) to 303 for M-LBP (22.0 cases/100 person-years), to 151 for H-LBP (15.6 cases/100 person-years), and finally to 56 for L-LBP (8.7 cases/100 person-years). Conversely, pain intensity and duration increased from LBP to H-LBP. However, pain duration was relatively lower for L-LBP than for H-LBP. Patterns of cases, pain intensity, and pain duration suggest the influence of the four outcomes. However, few differences in apparent risk factors were observed between the outcomes. Further research is needed to establish consistent case definitions. Knowledge of patterns between different LBP outcomes can improve interpretation of research and guide future research and intervention studies in industry.

Is hard physical work in the early working life associated with back pain later in life? A cross-sectional study among 5700 older workers

ObjectivesPhysically demanding work increases the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders during working life, with low back pain (LBP) as the most prevalent and debilitating musculoskeletal disorder worldwide. However, a lack...

Patient acceptable symptom state for patient-reported outcomes in people with non-specific chronic low back pain

BackgroundThe patient acceptable symptom state (PASS) is a treatment-response criterion developed to determine the clinical relevance of a treatment effect. Its estimates for some patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in non-specific chronic low back pain (cLBP) are lacking and the stability of PRO estimates between independent cLBP populations is unknown. We hypothesized that these PRO estimates will be stable. ObjectivesTo estimate and compare the PASS for PROs between 2 independent cLBP populations. MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (PREDID) and a cohort of outpatients with non-specific cLBP. Using an anchoring question, participants who self-rated their health as “excellent”, “very good” or “good” at 1 month were considered to have an acceptable symptom state. PASS estimates for 5 PROs were calculated by using the 75th percentile method. Estimates were compared between the 2 populations with bootstrap resampling. ResultsA total of 256 participants with non-specific cLBP were included: 135 patients with cLBP and active discopathy from the PREDID trial and 121 outpatients with cLBP without active discopathy followed up in an independent cohort. Overall, 137/256 (54%) participants had an acceptable symptom state at 1 month. PASS estimates were 47.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] 40.0 to 50.0)/100 for lumbar pain (0, no pain and 100, maximal pain), 30.5 (30.0 to 40.0)/100 for radicular pain, 39.3 (33.6 to 45.3)/100 for Quebec Back Pain Disability score (0, no disability and 100, maximal disability), 10.0 (9.2 to 10.0)/21 for the Hospital Anxiety Depression anxiety subscale (0, no anxiety, and 21, maximal anxiety) and 6.7 (6.0 to 8.0)/21 for the depression subscale (0, no depression, and 21, maximal depression). PASS estimates did not differ between the 2 populations. ConclusionsOur study provides PASS estimates for 5 PROs commonly used in cLBP. Our estimates were stable between 2 independent populations of people with cLBP. The stability of our PASS estimates suggests that they are relevant for interpreting PRO values in clinical trials and practice. ClinicalTrials.gov no. (PREDID trial) NCT00804531.

Low back pain and the social determinants of health: a systematic review and narrative synthesis.

The social determinants of health (SDH) are known to differentially impact outcomes from many noncommunicable diseases; however, their potential role in low back pain (LBP) is poorly defined. This review endeavours to comprehensively inform the field of their relevance. Our research question was: "How do the broad range of SDH and chronic LBP (CLBP) relate?" The primary aim of this review was to synthesise evidence of relationships between SDH and the frequency or severity of CLBP. Secondary aims were to identify relationships between SDH and LBP-related disability, work absenteeism, and opioid prescription. We included studies involving adult participants that evaluated relationships between one or more of the SDH and CLBP frequency or LBP outcomes (beyond 3 months). Two reviewers screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We synthesized the results narratively and applied PROGRESS to organise our findings. Database searches identified 7018 records. Forty-one studies were included, containing data from 2,161,617 adults from 17 countries. Twenty-four percent and 19% of the relationships included were classified as having a high risk of bias due to confounding and missing data, respectively. We reported 166 relationships representing the majority of the PROGRESS domains. An array of independent and interdependent relationships between the SDH and CLBP were identified with the strongest evidence for associations related to educational attainment and socioeconomic status. Our findings suggest that greater recognition of the contribution of SDH to disparities in LBP outcomes is warranted and this has the potential to usefully inform strategies to impact burden.