The rising prevalence of chronic low back pain

Biomechanical, psychosocial and individual risk factors predicting low back functional impairment among furniture distribution employees

BACKGROUND

Biomechanical, psychosocial and individual risk factors for low back disorder have been studied extensively however few researchers have examined all three risk factors. The objective of this was to develop a low back disorder risk model in furniture distribution workers using biomechanical, psychosocial and individual risk factors.

METHODS

This was a prospective study with a six month follow-up time. There were 454 subjects at 9 furniture distribution facilities enrolled in the study. Biomechanical exposure was evaluated using the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (2001) lifting threshold limit values for low back injury risk. Psychosocial and individual risk factors were evaluated via questionnaires. Low back health functional status was measured using the lumbar motion monitor. Low back disorder cases were defined as a loss of low back functional performance of -0.14 or more.

FINDINGS

There were 92 cases of meaningful loss in low back functional performance and 185 non cases. A multivariate logistic regression model included baseline functional performance probability, facility, perceived workload, intermediated reach distance number of exertions above threshold limit values, job tenure manual material handling, and age combined to provide a model sensitivity of 68.5% and specificity of 71.9%.

INTERPRETATION

The results of this study indicate which biomechanical, individual and psychosocial risk factors are important as well as how much of each risk factor is too much resulting in increased risk of low back disorder among furniture distribution workers.

Fluoroscopic caudal epidural injections in managing post lumbar surgery syndrome: two-year results of a randomized, double-blind, active-control trial

STUDY DESIGN

A randomized, active control, double-blind trial.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of fluoroscopically directed caudal epidural injections with or without steroids in managing chronic low back and lower extremity pain secondary to post lumbar surgery syndrome.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

There is a paucity of evidence concerning caudal epidural injections for managing chronic persistent low back pain with or without lower extremity pain caused by post lumbar surgery syndrome.

METHODS

This active control randomized study included 140 patients with 70 patients in each group. Group I received 0.5% lidocaine, 10 mL; Group II received 9 mL of 0.5% lidocaine mixed with 1 mL of 6 mg of nonparticulate betamethasone. The multiple outcome measures included the numeric rating scale, the Oswestry Disability Index 2.0, employment status, and opioid intake with assessments at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months posttreatment. Primary outcome was defined as at least 50% improvement in pain and Oswestry Disability Index scores. Patients with a positive response to the first 2 procedures with at least 3 weeks of relief were considered to be successful. All others were considered as failures.

RESULTS

Overall in Group I, 53% and 47% of the patients and in Group II, 59% and 58% of the patients, showed significant improvement with reduction in pain scores and disability index at 12 months and 24 months. In contrast, in the successful groups, significant pain relief and improvement in function were observed in 70% and 62% of Group I at one and 2 years; in 75% and 69% of Group II at one and 2 years. The results in the successful group showed that at the end of the first year patients experienced approximately 38 weeks of relief and at the end of 2 years Group I had 62 weeks and Group II had 68 weeks of relief. Overall total relief for 2 years was 48 weeks in Group I and 54 weeks in Group II. The average procedures in the successful groups were at 4 in one year and 6 at the end of 2 years.

CONCLUSION

Caudal epidural injections of local anesthetic with or without steroid might be effective in patients with chronic persistent low back and/or lower extremity pain in patients with post lumbar surgery syndrome.

Increasing prevalence of knee pain and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: survey and cohort data

BACKGROUND

A recent surge in knee replacements is assumed to be due to aging and increased obesity of the U.S. population.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether age, obesity, and change in radiographic knee osteoarthritis explain the trend in knee pain and osteoarthritis.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, using data from 6 NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) surveys between 1971 and 2004 and from 3 examination periods in the FOA (Framingham Osteoarthritis) Study between 1983 through 2005.

SETTING

U.S. population.

PARTICIPANTS

NHANES participants (white or African American; aged 60 to 74 years) and FOA Study participants (mostly white; aged ≥70 years) were included.

MEASUREMENTS

NHANES participants were asked about pain in or around the knee on most days. In the FOA Study, participants were asked about knee pain and had bilateral weight-bearing anteroposterior knee radiography to define radiographic knee osteoarthritis. Radiographic evidence and self-reported pain were used to define symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. The age- and age- and body mass index (BMI)-adjusted prevalences of knee pain and osteoarthritis at later examinations were compared with that of earlier examinations by using the ratio of the prevalence estimates.

RESULTS

Age- and BMI-adjusted prevalence of knee pain increased by about 65% in NHANES from 1974 to 1994 among non-Hispanic white and Mexican American men and women and among African American women. In the FOA Study, the age- and BMI-adjusted prevalence of knee pain and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis approximately doubled in women and tripled in men over 20 years. No such trend was observed in the prevalence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis in FOA Study participants. After age adjustment, additional adjustment for BMI resulted in a 10% to 25% decrease in the prevalence ratios for knee pain and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

LIMITATIONS

Differences in sampling of FOA Study participants over time or birth cohort effects cannot be ruled out as possible explanations of the increased reporting of knee pain. Increases in prevalence at the last interval in the FOA Study might be due to differences in cohort membership by interval.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that the prevalence of knee pain has increased substantially over 20 years, independent of age and BMI. Obesity accounted for only part of this increase. Symptomatic knee osteoarthritis increased but radiographic knee osteoarthritis did not.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation and National Institutes of Health. The FOA Study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (for the parent Framingham Heart Study), National Institute on Aging, and National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (FOA Study), National Institutes of Health.

Increasing prevalence of knee pain and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: survey and cohort data

BACKGROUND

A recent surge in knee replacements is assumed to be due to aging and increased obesity of the U.S. population.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether age, obesity, and change in radiographic knee osteoarthritis explain the trend in knee pain and osteoarthritis.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, using data from 6 NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) surveys between 1971 and 2004 and from 3 examination periods in the FOA (Framingham Osteoarthritis) Study between 1983 through 2005.

SETTING

U.S. population.

PARTICIPANTS

NHANES participants (white or African American; aged 60 to 74 years) and FOA Study participants (mostly white; aged ≥70 years) were included.

MEASUREMENTS

NHANES participants were asked about pain in or around the knee on most days. In the FOA Study, participants were asked about knee pain and had bilateral weight-bearing anteroposterior knee radiography to define radiographic knee osteoarthritis. Radiographic evidence and self-reported pain were used to define symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. The age- and age- and body mass index (BMI)-adjusted prevalences of knee pain and osteoarthritis at later examinations were compared with that of earlier examinations by using the ratio of the prevalence estimates.

RESULTS

Age- and BMI-adjusted prevalence of knee pain increased by about 65% in NHANES from 1974 to 1994 among non-Hispanic white and Mexican American men and women and among African American women. In the FOA Study, the age- and BMI-adjusted prevalence of knee pain and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis approximately doubled in women and tripled in men over 20 years. No such trend was observed in the prevalence of radiographic knee osteoarthritis in FOA Study participants. After age adjustment, additional adjustment for BMI resulted in a 10% to 25% decrease in the prevalence ratios for knee pain and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

LIMITATIONS

Differences in sampling of FOA Study participants over time or birth cohort effects cannot be ruled out as possible explanations of the increased reporting of knee pain. Increases in prevalence at the last interval in the FOA Study might be due to differences in cohort membership by interval.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that the prevalence of knee pain has increased substantially over 20 years, independent of age and BMI. Obesity accounted for only part of this increase. Symptomatic knee osteoarthritis increased but radiographic knee osteoarthritis did not.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation and National Institutes of Health. The FOA Study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (for the parent Framingham Heart Study), National Institute on Aging, and National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (FOA Study), National Institutes of Health.

Incidental vertebral lesions

Incidental vertebral lesions on imaging of the spine are commonly encountered in clinical practice. Contributing factors include the aging population, the increasing prevalence of back pain, and increased usage of MR imaging. Additionally, refinements in CT and MR imaging have increased the number of demonstrable lesions. The management of incidental findings varies among practitioners and commonly depends more on practice style than on data or guidelines. In this article we review incidental findings within the vertebral column and review management of these lesions, based on available Class III data.

Brief psychosocial education, not core stabilization, reduced incidence of low back pain: results from the Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military (POLM) cluster randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Effective strategies for the primary prevention of low back pain (LBP) remain elusive with few large-scale clinical trials investigating exercise and education approaches. The purpose of this trial was to determine whether core stabilization alone or in combination with psychosocial education prevented incidence of low back pain in comparison to traditional lumbar exercise.

METHODS

The Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military study was a cluster randomized clinical study with four intervention arms and a two-year follow-up. Participants were recruited from a military training setting from 2007 to 2008. Soldiers in 20 consecutive companies were considered for eligibility (n = 7,616). Of those, 1,741 were ineligible and 1,550 were eligible but refused participation. For the 4,325 Soldiers enrolled with no previous history of LBP average age was 22.0 years (SD = 4.2) and there were 3,082 males (71.3%). Companies were randomly assigned to receive traditional lumbar exercise, traditional lumbar exercise with psychosocial education, core stabilization exercise, or core stabilization with psychosocial education, The psychosocial education session occurred during one session and the exercise programs were done daily for 5 minutes over 12 weeks. The primary outcome for this trial was incidence of low back pain resulting in the seeking of health care.

RESULTS

There were no adverse events reported. Evaluable patient analysis (4,147/4,325 provided data) indicated no differences in low back incidence resulting in the seeking of health care between those receiving the traditional exercise and core stabilization exercise programs. However, brief psychosocial education prevented low back pain episodes regardless of the assigned exercise approach, resulting in a 3.3% (95% CI: 1.1 to 5.5%) decrease over two years (numbers needed to treat (NNT) = 30.3, 95% CI = 18.2 to 90.9).

CONCLUSIONS

Core stabilization has been advocated as preventative, but offered no such benefit when compared to traditional lumbar exercise in this trial. Instead, a brief psychosocial education program that reduced fear and threat of low back pain decreased incidence of low back pain resulting in the seeking of health care. Since this trial was conducted in a military setting, future studies are necessary to determine if these findings can be translated into civilian populations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT00373009 at ClinicalTrials.gov - http://clinicaltrials.gov/

National trends in mental health disability, 1997-2009

OBJECTIVES

I assessed recent trends in mental health disability in the US nonelderly adult population in the context of trends in physical disabilities and psychological distress.

METHODS

Using data for 312 364 adults aged 18 to 64 years from the US National Health Interview Survey, 1997 to 2009, I examined time trends in self-reported disability attributed to mental health conditions, disability attributed to other chronic problems, and significant psychological distress (measured by using the K6 instrument).

RESULTS

The prevalence of self-reported mental health disability increased from 2.0% of the nonelderly adult population in the first 3 years (1997 to 1999) to 2.7% in the last 3 years (2007 to 2009), corresponding to an increase of almost 2 million disabled adults. Disability attributed to other chronic conditions decreased and significant psychological distress did not change appreciably. Change in self-reported mental health disability was more pronounced in adults who also reported disability attributed to other chronic conditions or significant psychological distress but who had no mental health contacts in the past year.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the need for improved access to mental health services in the community and for better integration of these services with primary care.

Trends over time in the size and quality of randomised controlled trials of interventions for chronic low-back pain

PURPOSE

Previous reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for low-back pain (LBP) have failed to identify any positive trend in study quality with more recent years of publication. This study aimed to identify and describe trends over time in the study design characteristics and risk of bias in chronic LBP trials performed over the past 30 years.

METHODS

One fifty-seven randomised trials of interventions for chronic LBP were extracted from recently published systematic reviews. The reviews included RCTs on physical and rehabilitation interventions, injection therapy and denervation procedures, complementary and alternative therapies and pharmacological interventions for chronic LBP. Study level data were extracted and analysed for trends associated with year of publication.

RESULTS

Overall, the mean sample size in the RCTs was 141 (median 70; range 17-3093). There was a slight increase in the median number of risk of bias criteria fulfilled from trials published prior to 1995 to those published after 1996. The analysis showed that in more recent years RCTs of medical interventions were more likely to be successfully blinded than RCTs of non-medical interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

The continuing uncertainty regarding the efficacy of many interventions for chronic LBP again stresses the need for large RCTs with low risk of bias. Further research is needed into specific risks of bias within the RCTs for chronic LBP and the effect they have on the plausibility of the results.

Network modeling and analysis of lumbar muscle surface EMG signals during flexion-extension in individuals with and without low back pain

In this paper, we propose modeling the activity coordination network between lumbar muscles using surface electromyography (sEMG) signals and performing the network analysis to compare the lumbar muscle coordination patterns between patients with low back pain (LBP) and healthy control subjects. Ten healthy subjects and eleven LBP patients were asked to perform flexion-extension task, and the sEMG signals were recorded. Both the subject-level and the group-level PC(fdr) algorithms are applied to learn the sEMG coordination networks with the error-rate being controlled. The network features are further characterized in terms of network symmetry, global efficiency, clustering coefficient and graph modules. The results indicate that the networks representing the normal group are much closer to the order networks and clearly exhibit globally symmetric patterns between the left and right sEMG channels. While the coordination activities between sEMG channels for the patient group are more likely to cluster locally and the group network shows the loss of global symmetric patterns. As a complementary tool to the physical and anatomical analysis, the proposed network analysis approach allows the visualization of the muscle coordination activities and the extraction of more informative features from the sEMG data for low back pain studies.

A validity-driven approach to the understanding of the personal and societal burden of low back pain: development of a conceptual and measurement model

Introduction

While the importance and magnitude of the burden of low back pain upon the individual is well recognized, a systematic understanding of the impact of the condition on individuals is currently hampered by the lack of an organized understanding of what aspects of a person's life are affected and the lack of comprehensive measures for these effects. The aim of the present study was to develop a conceptual and measurement model of the overall burden of low back pain from the individual's perspective using a validity-driven approach.

Methods

To define the breadth of low back pain burden we conducted three concept-mapping workshops to generate an item pool. Two face-to-face workshops (Australia) were conducted with people with low back pain and clinicians and policy-makers, respectively. A third workshop (USA) was held with international multidisciplinary experts. Multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, participant input and thematic analyses organized participants' ideas into clusters of ideas that then informed the conceptual model.

Results

One hundred and ninety-nine statements were generated. Considerable overlap was observed between groups, and four major clusters were observed - Psychosocial, Physical, Treatment and Employment - each with between two and six subclusters. Content analysis revealed that elements of the Psychosocial cluster were sufficiently distinct to be split into Psychological and Social, and a further cluster of elements termed Positive Effects also emerged. Finally, a hypothesized structure was proposed with six domains and 16 subdomains. New domains not previously considered in the back pain field emerged for psychometric verification: loss of independence, worry about the future, and negative or discriminatory actions by others.

Conclusions

Using a grounded approach, an explicit a priori and testable model of the overall burden of low back pain has been proposed that captures the full breadth of the burden experienced by patients and observed by experts.

Economic impact of potential CYP450 pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions among chronic low back pain patients taking opioids

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) patients who take at least 1 CYP450-metabolized opioid analgesic agent concurrent with at least 1 other CYP450-metabolized medication experience a drug-drug exposure (DDE), which puts them at risk for a pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction (PK DDI). This study compared utilization of healthcare resources and associated payments in cLBP patients with and without incident DDEs with the potential to cause PK DDIs. A retrospective database analysis examined the associated clinical events, healthcare utilization (measured in terms of claims for office visits, outpatient visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalization), and cost to the health plan, as defined as the sum of health plan payments for resources used. Patients were grouped into 2 cohorts by age (those under 65 and those 65 years and over). In the 6 months after exposure, total healthcare payments were significantly higher for DDE patients than those without DDEs (no-DDE), in both in the younger ($7,086, SD = $8,370) and $6,353, SD = $8,352, respectively, P < 0.001) and the older cohorts ($7,806 vs. $7,043, respectively, P = 0.013). Younger and older patients with DDE had significantly higher prescription payments than those without DDE ($2,041, SD = $2,706 vs. $1,565, SD = $2,349, respectively, P < 0.001 for younger and $2,482, SD = $2,481 vs. $2,286, SD = $2,521, respectively, P = 0.044 for older patients). Both older and younger patients with DDE had significantly more claims for office visits and higher associated payments than similar patients without DDE. Patients in the study who experienced DDEs that placed them at risk for PK DDIs had significantly greater utilization rates of healthcare resources and higher associated payments in the 6-month observation period following exposure.

Invalidez por dor nas costas entre segurados da Previdência Social do Brasil

OBJETIVO: Descrever as aposentadorias por invalidez decorrente de dor nas costas. MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo com dados do Sistema Único de Informações de Benefícios e dos Anuários Estatísticos da Previdência Social em 2007. A taxa de incidência de dor nas costas como causa das aposentadorias por invalidez foi calculada segundo as variáveis idade e sexo, nos estados. Os dias de trabalho perdidos por invalidez decorrente de dor nas costas foram calculados segundo atividade profissional. RESULTADOS: A dor nas costas idiopática foi a primeira causa de invalidez entre as aposentadorias previdenciárias e acidentárias. A maioria dos beneficiários residia em área urbana e era comerciário. A taxa de incidência de dor nas costas como causa das aposentadorias por invalidez no Brasil foi de 29,96 por 100.000 contribuintes. Esse valor foi mais elevado entre os homens e entre as pessoas mais velhas. Rondônia exibiu taxa quatro vezes superior ao esperado (RT = 4,05) e a segunda maior taxa, referente à Bahia, foi de aproximadamente duas vezes o esperado (RT = 2,07). Os comerciários foram responsáveis por 96,9% dos dias perdidos por invalidez. CONCLUSÕES: A dor nas costas foi uma importante causa de invalidez em 2007, sobretudo entre comerciários, com grandes diferenças entre os estados.

Can Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Improve Success Rates in CNS Drug Discovery?

INTRODUCTION: The bar for developing new treatments for CNS disease is getting progressively higher and fewer novel mechanisms are being discovered, validated and developed. The high costs of drug discovery necessitate early decisions to ensure the best molecules and hypotheses are tested in expensive late stage clinical trials. The discovery of brain imaging biomarkers that can bridge preclinical to clinical CNS drug discovery and provide a 'language of translation' affords the opportunity to improve the objectivity of decision-making. AREAS COVERED: This review discusses the benefits, challenges and potential issues of using a science based biomarker strategy to change the paradigm of CNS drug development and increase success rates in the discovery of new medicines. The authors have summarized PubMed and Google Scholar based publication searches to identify recent advances in functional, structural and chemical brain imaging and have discussed how these techniques may be useful in defining CNS disease state and drug effects during drug development. EXPERT OPINION: The use of novel brain imaging biomarkers holds the bold promise of making neuroscience drug discovery smarter by increasing the objectivity of decision making thereby improving the probability of success of identifying useful drugs to treat CNS diseases. Functional imaging holds the promise to: (1) define pharmacodynamic markers as an index of target engagement (2) improve translational medicine paradigms to predict efficacy; (3) evaluate CNS efficacy and safety based on brain activation; (4) determine brain activity drug dose-response relationships and (5) provide an objective evaluation of symptom response and disease modification.

Fear-avoidance beliefs are associated with disability in older American adults with low back pain

BACKGROUND

Although fear-avoidance beliefs (FABs) have been explored in younger adults and Spanish older adults, their relationships to measures of low back pain (LBP)-related disability, overall physical health, and falling have not been investigated in older American adults.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of FABs with self-reported disability, physical health, and falling among community-dwelling older adults with LBP in the United States.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Ninety-three community-dwelling men and women with current LBP were included in this analysis. Participants completed the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire physical activity subscale (FABQ-PA). The modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (mOSW) and the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QUE) were used to measure self-reported disability, and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) physical component summary (PCS) score was used to assess physical health. Participants provided demographic information and information regarding LBP duration and intensity. Linear regression models were developed using the following dependent variables: mOSW, QUE, and SF-36 PCS scores. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between high FABs and falling.

RESULTS

For each analysis, the FABQ-PA score independently explained 3% to 6% of the variance in the LBP-related disability score and 3% of the variance in the SF-36 PCS score. For all dependent variables, the strongest contributors to explained variance were pain intensity, assistive device use, and FABQ-PA score. High FABs were associated with falling.

LIMITATIONS

Future investigations might seek a more diversified sample and utilize both qualitative and quantitative measures for assessing disability and physical health.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical activity FABs are independently associated with self-reported disability and overall physical health in older American adults with LBP. High FABs may warrant balance and falls assessment.

Physical therapy for chronic low back pain in North Carolina: overuse, underuse, or misuse?

BACKGROUND

There are limited population-based studies of determinants of physical therapy use for chronic low back pain (LBP) and of the types of treatments received by individuals who see a physical therapist.

OBJECTIVE

The purposes of this study were: (1) to identify determinants of physical therapy use for chronic LBP, (2) to describe physical therapy treatments for chronic LBP, and (3) to compare use of treatments with current best evidence on care for this condition.

DESIGN

This study was a cross-sectional, population-based telephone survey of North Carolinians.

METHODS

Five hundred eighty-eight individuals with chronic LBP who had sought care in the previous year were surveyed on their health and health care use. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to identify predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics associated with physical therapy use. Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine the use of physical treatments for individuals who saw a physical therapist. Use of treatments was compared with evidence from systematic reviews.

RESULTS

Of our sample, 29.7% had seen a physical therapist in the previous year, with a mean of 15.6 visits. In multivariable analyses, receiving workers' compensation, seeing physician specialists, and higher Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-12) physical component scores were positively associated with physical therapy use. Having no health insurance was negatively associated with physical therapy use. Exercise was the most frequent treatment received (75% of sample), and traction was the least frequent treatment received (7%). Some effective treatments were underutilized, whereas some ineffective treatments were overutilized.

LIMITATIONS

Only one state was examined, and findings were based on patient report.

CONCLUSIONS

Fewer than one third of individuals with chronic LBP saw a physical therapist. Health-related and non-health-related factors were associated with physical therapy use. Individuals who saw a physical therapist did not always receive evidence-based treatments. There are potential opportunities for improving access to and quality of physical therapy for chronic LBP.

A randomized controlled trial of intra-articular prolotherapy versus steroid injection for sacroiliac joint pain

OBJECTIVES

Controversy exists regarding the efficacy of ligament prolotherapy in alleviating sacroiliac joint pain. The inconsistent success rates reported in previous studies may be attributed to variability in patient selection and techniques between studies. It was hypothesized that intra-articular prolotherapy for patients with a positive response to diagnostic block may mitigate the drawbacks of ligament prolotherapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and long-term effectiveness of intra-articular prolotherapy in relieving sacroiliac joint pain, compared with intra-articular steroid injection.

DESIGN

This was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

SETTINGS/LOCATION

The study was conducted at an outpatient pain medicine clinic at Chonnam National University Hospital in Gwang-ju, Korea.

SUBJECTS

The study included patients with sacroiliac joint pain, confirmed by ≥50% improvement in response to local anesthetic block, lasting 3 months or longer, and who failed medical treatment.

INTERVENTIONS

The treatment involved intra-articular dextrose water prolotherapy or triamcinolone acetonide injection using fluoroscopic guidance, with a biweekly schedule and maximum of three injections.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Pain and disability scores were assessed at baseline, 2 weeks, and monthly after completion of treatment.

RESULTS

The numbers of recruited patients were 23 and 25 for the prolotherapy and steroid groups, respectively. The pain and disability scores were significantly improved from baseline in both groups at the 2-week follow-up, with no significant difference between them. The cumulative incidence of ≥50% pain relief at 15 months was 58.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 37.9%-79.5%) in the prolotherapy group and 10.2% (95% CI 6.7%-27.1%) in the steroid group, as determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis; there was a statistically significant difference between the groups (log-rank p < 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Intra-articular prolotherapy provided significant relief of sacroiliac joint pain, and its effects lasted longer than those of steroid injections. Further studies are needed to confirm the safety of the procedure and to validate an appropriate injection protocol.

Epidemiology of restricting back pain in community-living older persons

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the incidence of back pain leading to restricted activity (restricting back pain) in community-living older persons and to characterize its descriptive epidemiology.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Greater New Haven, Connecticut.

PARTICIPANTS

Five hundred fifty nondisabled, community-living men and women aged 70 and older who did not report restricting back pain at baseline.

MEASUREMENTS

Participants were interviewed monthly for over 10 years to ascertain the cumulative incidence, time to first episode, incidence rates (first and repeat episodes), and duration of restricting back pain. Cumulative incidence (proportions) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and incidence rates (per 1,000 person-months) were estimated using a Poisson regression model.

RESULTS

During the more than 10 years of follow-up (median 107 months), the cumulative incidence of restricting back pain was 77.3% for men and 81.7% for women. The median time to the first episode was significantly shorter in women (25 months) than men (49 months) (P=.01). The incidence rates of restricting back pain per 1,000 person-months were 32.9 overall-24.4 for men and 37.5 for women (P<.001). There were no differences according to baseline age group. Of the 1,528 total episodes of restricting back pain, the median duration was 1.0 month, and only 6.4% lasted for 3 or more consecutive months.

CONCLUSION

Restricting back pain in older persons is common, short-lived, and frequently episodic. The burden of restricting back pain is greater in older women than older men.

The role of exercise and alternative treatments for low back pain

The determination of whether a patient should pursue an active or passive treatment program is often made by medical practitioners. Knowledge about all forms of treatment, including complementary and alternative (CAM) treatments, is essential in the treatment of low back pain. Medical practitioner-directed active treatments that have been shown to be effective for the treatment of low back pain include physical therapy-directed exercise programs such as core stabilization and mechanical diagnosis and therapy (MDT). Based on the current literature, it appears that yoga is the most effective nonphysician-directed active treatment approach to nonspecific low back pain when comparing other CAM treatments. Acupuncture is a medical practitioner-directed passive treatment that has been shown to be a good adjunct treatment. More randomized controlled studies are needed to support both CAM treatments and exercise in the treatment of low back pain.

Trends in inpatient setting laminectomy for excision of herniated intervertebral disc: Population-based estimates from the US nationwide inpatient sample

Background:

Herniated intervertebral discs can result in pain and neurological compromise. Treatment for this condition is categorized as surgical or non-surgical. We sought to identify trends in inpatient surgical management of herniated intervertebral discs using a national database.

Methods:

Patient discharges identified with a principal procedure relating to laminectomy for excision of herniated intervertebral disc were selected from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD), under the auspices of a data user agreement. These surgical patients did not undergo instrumented fusion. To account for the Nationwide Inpatient Sample weighting schema, design-adjusted analyses were used. The estimates of standard errors were calculated using SUDAAN software (Research Triangle International, NC, USA). This software is based on the International Classification of Diseases, 9^th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM); a uniform and standardized coding system.

Results:

Using International Classification of Disease 9^th Revision clinical modifier (ICD-9 CM) procedure code 80.51, we were able to identify disc excision, in part or whole, by laminotomy or hemilaminectomy. The incidence of laminectomy for the excision of herniated intervertebral disc has decreased dramatically from 1993 where 266,152 cases were reported [CI = 22,342]. In 2007, only 123,398 cases were identified [CI = 12,438]. The average length of stay in 1993 was 4 days [CI = 0.17], and in 2007 it decreased to just 2 days [CI = 0.17]. Both these comparisons were significantly different at P < 0.001. The average inflation adjusted (2007 buying power) charge of the procedure in 1993 was 14,790.87 USD [CI = 916.85]. This value rose in 2007 to 24,639 USD [CI = 1,485.51]. This difference was significant at P < 0.001.

Conclusions:

National estimates indicate that the incidence of inpatient laminectomy for the excision of herniated intervertebral disc has decreased significantly. This trend is multifactorial and is likely related to developments in outcomes research, the growing popularity of alternative procedures (intervertebral instrumented fusion), and transition to an ambulatory setting of surgical care.

Appropriateness of lumbar spine referrals to a neurosurgical service

BACKGROUND

Patients with lumbar spine complaints are often referred for surgical assessment. Only those with clinical and radiological evidence of nerve root compression are potential candidates for surgery and appropriate for surgical assessment. This study examines the appropriateness of lumbar spine referrals made to neurosurgeons in Edmonton, Alberta.

METHODS

Lumbar spine referrals to a group of ten neurosurgeons at the University of Alberta were reviewed over three two month intervals. Clinical criteria for "appropriateness" for surgical assessment were as follows: •"Appropriate" referrals were those that stated leg pain was the chief complaint, or those that described physical exam evidence of neurological deficit, and imaging reports (CT or MRI) were positive for nerve root compression. •"Uncertain" referrals were those that reported both back and leg pain without specifying which was greater, without mention of neurologic deficit, and when at least possible nerve root compression was reported on imaging. •"Inappropriate" referrals contained no mention of leg symptoms or signs of neurological deficit, and/or had no description of nerve root compression on imaging.

RESULTS

Of the 303 referrals collected, 80 (26%) were appropriate, 92 (30%) were uncertain and 131 (44%) were inappropriate for surgical assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

Physicians seeking specialist consultations for patients with lumbar spine complaints need to be better informed of the criteria which indicate an appropriate referral for surgical treatment, namely clinical and radiological evidence of nerve root compression. Avoiding inappropriate referrals could reduce wait-times for both surgical consultation and lumbar spine surgery for those patients requiring it.

A experiência brasileira com o core set da classificação internacional de funcionalidade, incapacidade e saúde para lombalgia

OBJETIVO: Validar empiricamente o core set da CIF para lombalgia e descrever a funcionalidade de uma amostra de pacientes com lombalgia mecânica crônica inespecífica. MÉTODOS: Vinte e nove pacientes de um centro de reabilitação foram avaliados por meio do core set da CIF para lombalgia e pelo questionário de Roland Morris (QRM) e SF-36. RESULTADOS: Todas as categorias de estruturas do corpo do core set se mostraram comprometidas em ao menos 80% dos pacientes, sendo consideradas validadas. Entre as 19 categorias de Funções do corpo, apenas quatro estavam comprometidas em menos que 80% dos pacientes, sendo consideradas não-validadas, o mesmo foi observado para cinco das 29 de Atividades e participações e cinco das 25 categorias de Fatores ambientais. CONCLUSÕES: As categorias selecionadas para o core set da CIF para lombalgia foram consideradas empiricamente validadas e em conjunto permitiram descrever a multiplicidade de repercussões dessa condição de saúde sobre a funcionalidade das pessoas. O core set da CIF serve para guiar a intervenção terapêutica interdisciplinar.

AxiaLIF system: minimally invasive device for presacral lumbar interbody spinal fusion

Lumbar fusion is commonly performed to alleviate chronic low back and leg pain secondary to disc degeneration, spondylolisthesis with or without concomitant lumbar spinal stenosis, or chronic lumbar instability. However, the risk of iatrogenic injury during traditional anterior, posterior, and transforaminal open fusion surgery is significant. The axial lumbar interbody fusion (AxiaLIF) system is a minimally invasive fusion device that accesses the lumbar (L4–S1) intervertebral disc spaces via a reproducible presacral approach that avoids critical neurovascular and musculoligamentous structures. Since the AxiaLIF system received marketing clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2004, clinical studies of this device have reported high fusion rates without implant subsidence, significant improvements in pain and function, and low complication rates. This paper describes the design and approach of this lumbar fusion system, details the indications for use, and summarizes the clinical experience with the AxiaLIF system to date.

Epidemiology of spine care: the back pain dilemma

In this article, the epidemiology of back pain and the use of a variety of treatments for back pain in the United States are reviewed. The dilemma faced by medical providers caring for patients with low back pain is examined in the context of epidemiologic data. Back pain is becoming increasingly common and a growing number of treatment options are being used with increasing frequency in clinical practice. However, limited evidence exists to demonstrate the effectiveness of these treatments. In addition, health-related quality of life for persons with back pain is not improving despite the availability and use of an expanding array of treatments. This dilemma poses a difficult challenge for medical providers treating individual patients who suffer from back pain.

Prevalence, practice patterns, and evidence for chronic neck pain

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prevalence of chronic neck pain in North Carolina, to describe health care use (providers, treatments, and diagnostic testing) for chronic neck pain, and to correlate health care use with the current best evidence.

METHODS

We used data from a cross-sectional telephone survey of a representative sample of North Carolina households in 2006. A total of 5,357 households were contacted in 2006 to identify 141 noninstitutionalized adults ages ≥21 years with chronic neck pain and no chronic low back pain. The subjects were interviewed about their health and health care use (i.e., provider, tests, and treatments). Patterns of health care use were compared with current systematic reviews.

RESULTS

The estimated prevalence of chronic neck pain in 2006 among noninstitutionalized individuals for the state of North Carolina was 2.2% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.7-2.6). Individuals with chronic neck pain were middle-aged (mean age 48.9 years) and the majority of subjects were women (56%) and non-Hispanic white (81%). The subjects saw a mean of 5.21 (95% CI 4.8-5.6) provider types and had a mean of 21 visits. The types of treatments subjects reported varied, with treatments such as electrotherapy stimulation (30.3%), corsets or braces (20.9%), massage (28.1%), ultrasound (27.3%), heat (57.0%), and cold (47.4%) having unclear or little benefit based on the current best available reviews.

CONCLUSION

Based on the current evidence for best practice, our findings indicate overutilization of diagnostic testing, narcotics, and modalities, and underutilization of effective treatments such as therapeutic exercise.

Long-term outcomes of adults with features of VACTERL association

VACTERL association involves the presence of specific congenital, multi-organ malformations that tend to co-occur. Clinical and research efforts typically center on pediatric patients, and there is a scarcity of information in the literature regarding VACTERL-related issues and outcomes in adulthood. We describe here 11 adults with features of VACTERL association ascertained through our research study on the condition. In our cohort of adult patients, approximately 25% of medically significant malformations that are component features of VACTERL association, including 40% of vertebral, 50% of cardiac, and 50% of renal anomalies, were not identified during childhood. Additionally, medical sequelae of many of the primary malformations identified in infancy or early childhood persist or are first reported in adulthood. These sequelae can involve challenging medical and surgical management in adulthood. As most adults with VACTERL association are not specifically followed for VACTERL-related issues, a more uniform diagnostic work-up and a low threshold for investigation of medical sequelae of the primary disorder may enhance the quality of clinical management in these patients.

Causal assessment of workplace manual handling or assisting patients and low back pain: results of a systematic review

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder associated with a considerable social and economic burden within the working-age population. Despite an unclear etiology, numerous physical activities are suspected of leading to LBP. Declaring a causal relationship between occupational activities and LBP remains challenging and requires a methodologically rigorous approach.

PURPOSE

To conduct a systematic review focused on assessing the potentially causal relationship between workplace manual handling or assisting patients and LBP.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review of the literature.

SAMPLES

Studies reporting an association between workplace manual handling or assisting patients and LBP.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Numerical association between different levels of exposure to manual handling or assisting patients, and the presence or severity of LBP.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted using Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Occupational Safety and Health database, gray literature, hand-searching occupational health journals, reference lists of included studies, and content experts. The methodological quality of each study was assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for observational studies. The overall level of evidence supporting various Bradford-Hill criteria for causality for each category of manual handling or assisting patients and type of LBP was then evaluated. Studies were deemed of higher quality if they received a score of five or more on the modified NOS and used appropriate statistical analysis methods.

RESULTS

This search yielded 2,766 citations, and 32 studies met the eligibility criteria. Three high-quality studies reported on manual handling and LBP, including two prospective cohorts and one cross-sectional design. None demonstrated a significant association in most of their multivariate risk estimates. One study was able to assess dose-response and temporality, but its results did not support these criteria. Only one study discussed the biological plausibility of this association. Four high-quality studies evaluated assisting patients and LBP, including two case-controls, one cross-sectional, and one prospective cohort design. These studies were consistent in reporting no significant association. Two studies demonstrated a nonsignificant dose-response trend, and two studies discussed the biological plausibility of this association. No studies were able to demonstrate the temporality or experiment criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

The studies reviewed did not support a causal association between workplace manual handling or assisting patients and LBP in a Bradford-Hill framework. Conflicting evidence in specific subcategories of assisting patients was identified, suggesting that tasks such as assisting patients with ambulation may possibly contribute to LBP. It appears unlikely that workplace manual handling or assisting patients is independently causative of LBP in the populations of workers studied.

Postoperative rehabilitation following lumbar discectomy with quantification of trunk muscle morphology and function: a case report and review of the literature

STUDY DESIGN

A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND

Optimizing clinical outcomes following lumbar disc surgery is a research priority; however, relatively little attention has been paid to the postoperative management of this population. The transversus abdominis and lumbar multifidus (LM) muscles appear to play a unique role in lumbar spine stability, and may relate to clinical outcome following lumbar disc surgery. The purpose of this case report was to describe the preoperative LM morphology, clinical outcome, and change in transversus abdominis and LM muscle activation in a patient following lumbar disc surgery and motor control exercise initiated in the early postoperative period.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 29-year-old female underwent an 8-week postoperative rehabilitation program emphasizing motor control exercises to restore trunk muscle function 10 days following lumbar disc surgery.

OUTCOMES

The patient experienced clinically important improvements in pain and disability following the postoperative rehabilitation program. Substantial improvements in muscle activation were observed of the transversus abdominis and the LM at the L4-5 level. Minimal change in LM activation and a higher proportion of intramuscular fat was observed at the L5-S1 level.

DISCUSSION

This case report represents limited evidence regarding the feasibility of instituting a rehabilitation program in the early postoperative period following lumbar disc surgery. Improvements in clinical status and muscle function were observed, and a differential change in muscle activation between the L4-5 and L5-S1 levels was noted. The literature regarding rehabilitation following lumbar disc surgery, as well as the neuromuscular changes observed in this population, was reviewed. Additionally, a novel method of examining LM morphology was described and suggestions were made for directions of future research.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapy, level 4.

Once-daily OROS hydromorphone ER compared with placebo in opioid-tolerant patients with chronic low back pain

OBJECTIVE

This multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study using a randomized withdrawal design evaluated the efficacy and safety of once-daily OROS hydromorphone ER in the treatment of opioid-tolerant patients with chronic moderate-to-severe low back pain (LBP).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary efficacy assessment was mean change in pain intensity based on patient diary Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) scores from baseline to final visit of the 12-week double-blind phase. Secondary endpoints included mean change from baseline to each visit in patient diary NRS scores; and office NRS scores; time to treatment failure; Patient Global Assessment; rescue medication use; and Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire total scores.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00549042.

RESULTS

For the primary outcome measure, hydromorphone ER significantly reduced pain intensity compared to placebo (p < 0.001). Median diary NRS score change from baseline to endpoint was significantly lower for OROS [corrected] hydromorphone ER (0.2 units) compared to placebo (1.6 units). [corrected] A significantly higher proportion of hydromorphone ER (60.6%) vs. placebo (42.9%) patients had at least a 30% reduction in diary NRS pain score from screening to endpoint (p < 0.01). Hydromorphone ER was well-tolerated, although 60 (13%) discontinued during the enrichment phase for adverse events and more active (9, 6.7%) than placebo (4, 3.0%) patients discontinued treatment for adverse events during the randomized phase.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide evidence for the efficacy and safety of hydromorphone ER in opioid-tolerant patients with chronic moderate-to-severe LBP. Potential limitations include the shortened dose-conversion/titration phase, limiting the daily allowable dose of hydromorphone ER to 64 mg, and the allowance of limited rescue medication throughout the entire double-blind phase. Other trial design elements such as the use of an enrichment phase and the inclusion of only opioid tolerant patients may limit the generalizability of these results.

Evaluation of lumbar facet joint nerve blocks in managing chronic low back pain: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial with a 2-year follow-up

STUDY DESIGN

A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the clinical effectiveness of therapeutic lumbar facet joint nerve blocks with or without steroids in managing chronic low back pain of facet joint origin.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Lumbar facet joints have been shown as the source of chronic pain in 21% to 41% of low back patients with an average prevalence of 31% utilizing controlled comparative local anesthetic blocks. Intraarticular injections, medial branch blocks, and radiofrequency neurotomy of lumbar facet joint nerves have been described in the alleviation of chronic low back pain of facet joint origin.

METHODS

The study included 120 patients with 60 patients in each group with local anesthetic alone or local anesthetic and steroids. The inclusion criteria was based upon a positive response to diagnostic controlled, comparative local anesthetic lumbar facet joint blocks.Outcome measures included the numeric rating scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), opioid intake, and work status, at baseline, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months.

RESULTS

Significant improvement with significant pain relief of >or= 50% and functional improvement of >or= 40% were observed in 85% in Group 1, and 90% in Group II, at 2-year follow-up.The patients in the study experienced significant pain relief for 82 to 84 weeks of 104 weeks, requiring approximately 5 to 6 treatments with an average relief of 19 weeks per episode of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Therapeutic lumbar facet joint nerve blocks, with or without steroids, may provide a management option for chronic function-limiting low back pain of facet joint origin.

Duloxetine versus placebo in patients with chronic low back pain: a 12-week, fixed-dose, randomized, double-blind trial

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessed efficacy and safety of duloxetine in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Adults (n = 401) with a nonneuropathic CLBP and average pain intensity of ≥ 4 on an 11-point numerical scale (Brief Pain Inventory [BPI]) were treated with either duloxetine 60 mg once daily or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary measure was BPI average pain. Secondary endpoints included Patient's Global Impressions of Improvement (PGI-I), Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ-24), BPI-Severity (BPI-S), BPI-Interference (BPI-I), and response rates (either ≥ 30% or ≥ 50% BPI average pain reduction at endpoint). Health outcomes included Short Form-36, European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions, and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire. Safety and tolerability were assessed. Compared with placebo-treated patients, duloxetine-treated patients reported a significantly greater reduction in BPI average pain (P ≤ .001). Similarly, duloxetine-treated patients reported significantly greater improvements in PGI-I, BPI-S, BPI-I, 50% response rates, and some health outcomes. The RMDQ and 30% response rate showed numerical improvements with duloxetine treatment. Significantly more patients in the duloxetine group (15.2%) than patients in the placebo group (5.4%) discontinued because of adverse events (P = .002). Nausea and dry mouth were the most common treatment-emergent adverse events with rates significantly higher in duloxetine-treated patients.

PERSPECTIVE

This study provides clinical evidence of the efficacy and safety of duloxetine at a fixed dose of 60 mg once daily in the treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP). As of December 2009, duloxetine has not received regulatory approval for the treatment of CLBP.

Directed attention alters the temporal activation patterns of back extensors during trunk flexion-extension in individuals with chronic low back pain

In chronic low back pain patients (CLBP), neuromuscular and pain intensity have been identified as contributing factors in the disability of the individual. However, it is unclear whether pain intensity influences neuromuscular activation and if directed attention mediates this relationship. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of directed attention in individuals with different pain intensities on back extensor activation profiles. Fifty-four CLBP patients were separated into either high- or low-pain groups. Surface electromyograms were recorded from back muscles while the subjects performed a trunk flexion motion for four different attention conditions. Pattern recognition and repeated measures ANOVAs were used to examine the effect of sex, attention and pain intensity on temporal muscle activation patterns. The results showed that there was a significant sex x attention x pain interaction. The largest changes in muscle timing were observed in the low-pain group when their attention was focused on their pain, but the pattern of muscle activation differed between sexes. For males, a rapid decline in activation at mid-extension occurred, whereas females showed delayed activation at the beginning of extension. Overall, this study demonstrated that directed attention on pain had an effect on trunk muscle temporal recruitment, and that this relationship differed between sexes and pain groups. This suggests that sex-specific mechanisms may alter the neuromuscular control of the spine in CLBP patients for different pain levels.

Self-management and chronic low back pain: a qualitative study

AIMS

This paper is a report of a study of the self-management strategies of people with chronic low back pain and how their healthcare professionals perceived their role in facilitating self-management.

BACKGROUND

Chronic low back pain is a complex disorder, challenging to treat, and associated with wide-ranging adverse consequences including physical disability, psychosocial disruption, and increased use of healthcare resources. Most clinical guidelines suggest that self-management strategies are the best treatment option.

DESIGN

A qualitative analysis was conducted of semi-structured interviews with 64 people identified as having chronic low back pain and 22 healthcare professionals nominated by that person. The interviews were conducted in 2008. The people with chronic low back pain were asked about their self-management strategies; healthcare professionals were asked about how they perceived their role in the person's self-management. Data were analysed using a content analysis.

FINDINGS

The most common strategies used by participants to manage their chronic low back pain were medication, exercise and application of heat. The nominated healthcare professionals were predominantly physiotherapists and general practitioners. Physiotherapists described exercises, particularly those aimed at improving core strength, as the main strategy that they encouraged people to use. General practitioners regarded themselves as primarily having three roles: prescription of pain medication, dispensing of sickness certificates, and referral to specialists.

CONCLUSION

People with chronic low back pain use self-management strategies that they have discovered to provide relief and to prevent exacerbation. The strategies reflect an active process of decision-making that combines personal experience with professional recommendations.

The immediate reduction in low back pain intensity following lumbar joint mobilization and prone press-ups is associated with increased diffusion of water in the L5-S1 intervertebral disc

STUDY DESIGN

Single-group, prospective, repeated-measures design.

OBJECTIVES

To determine differences in the changes of diffusion of water in the L5-S1 intervertebral disc between subjects with nonspecific low back pain (LBP) who reported an immediate reduction in pain intensity of 2 or greater on an 11-point (0-10) numeric rating scale after a 10-minute session of lumbar joint mobilization, followed by prone press-up exercises, compared to those who did not report an immediate reduction in pain intensity of 2 or greater on the pain scale.

BACKGROUND

Combining lumbar joint mobilization and prone press-up exercises is a common intervention for patients with LBP; however, there is conflicting evidence regarding the effectiveness and efficacy of this approach. Increased knowledge of the physiologic effects of the combined use of these treatments, and the relationship to pain reports, can lead to refinement of their clinical application.

METHODS

Twenty adults, aged 22 to 54, participated in this study. All subjects reported LBP of at least 2 on an 11-point (0-10) verbally administered numeric rating scale at the time of enrollment in the study and were classified as being candidates for the combination of joint mobilization and prone press-ups. Subjects underwent T2- and diffusion-weighted lumbar magnetic resonance imaging scans before and immediately after receiving a 10-minute session of lumbar pressures in a posterior-to-anterior direction and prone press-up exercises. Subjects who reported a decrease in current pain intensity of 2 or greater immediately following treatment were classified as immediate responders, while the remainder were classified as not-immediate responders. The apparent diffusion coefficient, representing the diffusion of water in the nucleus pulposis, was calculated from the midsagittal diffusion-weighted images.

RESULTS

Following treatment, immediate responders (n = 10) had a mean increase in the apparent diffusion coefficient in the middle portion of the L5-S1 intervertebral disc of 4.2% compared to a mean decrease of 1.6% for the not-immediate responders (P<.005).

CONCLUSION

In a group of subjects with LBP, who were classified as being candidates for extension-based treatment, the report of an immediate reduction in pain intensity of 2/10 of greater after a treatment of posterior-to-anterior-directed pressures, followed by prone press-up exercises, was associated with an increase in diffusion of water in the nuclear region of the L5-S1 intervertebral disc. Subjects who did not report a pain reduction of at least 2/10 did not have a change in diffusion. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2010;40(5):256-264, Epub 12 March 2010. doi:10.2519/jospt.2010.3284.

Explosive growth of facet joint interventions in the Medicare population in the United States: a comparative evaluation of 1997, 2002, and 2006 data

Background

The Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (OIG-DHHS) issued a report which showed explosive growth and also raised questions of lack of medical necessity and/or indications for facet joint injection services in 2006.

The purpose of the study was to determine trends of frequency and cost of facet joint interventions in managing spinal pain.

Methods

This analysis was performed to determine trends of frequency and cost of facet joint

Interventions in managing spinal pain, utilizing the annual 5% national sample of the Centers for

Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for 1997, 2002, and 2006.

Outcome measures included overall characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries receiving facet joint interventions, utilization of facet joint interventions by place of service, by specialty, reimbursement characteristics, and other variables.

Results

From 1997 to 2006, the number of patients receiving facet joint interventions per 100,000

Medicare population increased 386%, facet joint visits increased 446%, and facet joint interventions increased 543%. The increases were higher in patients aged less than 65 years compared to those 65 or older with patients increasing 504% vs. 355%, visits increasing 587% vs. 404%, and services increasing 683% vs. 498%.

Total expenditures for facet joint interventions in the Medicare population increased from over $229 million in 2002 to over $511 million in 2006, with an overall increase of 123%. In 2006, there was a 26.8-fold difference in utilization of facet joint intervention services in Florida compared to the state with the lowest utilization - Hawaii.

There was an annual increase of 277.3% in the utilization of facet joint interventions by general physicians, whereas a 99.5% annual increase was seen for nurse practitioners (NPs) and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) from 2002 to 2006. Further, in Florida, 47% of facet joint interventions were performed by general physicians.

Conclusions

The reported explosive growth of facet joint interventions in managing spinal pain in certain regions and by certain specialties may result in increased regulations and scrutiny with reduced access.

Hospital-based chiropractic integration within a large private hospital system in Minnesota: a 10-year example

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to describe a model of chiropractic integration developed over a 10-year period within a private hospital system in Minnesota.

METHODS

Needs were assessed by surveying attitudes and behaviors related to chiropractic and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) of physicians associated with the hospital. Analyzing referral and utilization patterns assessed chiropractic integration into the hospital system.

RESULTS

One hundred five surveys were returned after 2 mailings for a response rate of 74%. Seventy-four percent of respondents supported integration of CAM into the hospital system, although 45% supported the primary care physician as the gatekeeper for CAM use. From 2006 to 2008, there were 8294 unique new patients in the chiropractic program. Primary care providers (medical doctors and physician assistants) were the most common referral source, followed by self-referred patients, sports medicine physicians, and orthopedic physicians. Overall examination of the program identified that facilitators of chiropractic integration were (1) growth in interest in CAM, (2) establishing relationships with key administrators and providers, (3) use of evidence-based practice, (4) adequate physical space, and (5) creation of an integrated spine care program. Barriers were (1) lack of understanding of chiropractic professional identity by certain providers and (2) certain financial aspects of third-party payment for chiropractic.

CONCLUSION

This article describes the process of integrating chiropractic into one of the largest private hospital systems in Minnesota from a business and professional perspective and the results achieved once chiropractic was integrated into the system. This study identified key factors that facilitated integration of services and demonstrates that chiropractic care can be successfully integrated within a hospital system.