Risk stratification of patients with low back pain seen in physical therapy practice

Predictors of response in PROMIS-global in a chronic low back pain specialty clinic: STarTBack and chronic overlapping pain conditions

BACKGROUND

Tools, such as the STarTBack Screening Tool (SBT), have been developed to identify risks of progressing to chronic disability in low back pain (LBP) patients in the primary care population. However, less is known about predictors of change in function after treatment in the specialty care population.

OBJECTIVE

We pursued a retrospective observational cohort study involving LBP patients seen in a multidisciplinary specialty clinic to assess which features can predict change in function at follow-up.

METHODS

The SBT was administered at initial visit, and a variety of patient characteristics were available in the chart including the presence of chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs). Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-10 (PROMIS-10) global physical health (PH) and global mental health (MH) were measured at baseline and at pragmatic time points during follow-up. Linear regression was used to estimate adjusted associations between available features and changes in PROMIS scores.

RESULTS

241 patients were followed for a mean of 17.0 ± 7.5 months. Mean baseline pain was 6.7 (SD 2.1), PROMIS-10 global MH score was 44.8 (SD 9.3), and PH score was 39.4 (SD 8.6). 29.7% were low-risk on the SBT, 41.8% were medium-risk, and 28.5% were high-risk. Mean change in MH and PH scores from baseline to the follow-up questionnaire were 0.86 (SD 8.11) and 2.39 (SD 7.52), respectively. Compared to low-risk patients, high-risk patients had a mean 4.35 points greater improvement in their MH score (p= 0.004) and a mean 3.54 points greater improvement in PH score (p= 0.006). Fewer COPCs also predicted greater improvement in MH and PH.

CONCLUSIONS

SBT and the presence of COPC, which can be assessed at initial presentation to a specialty clinic, can predict change in PROMIS following treatment. Effort is needed to identify other factors that can help predict change in function after treatment in the specialty care setting.

Significant Clinical Improvement Was Predicted in a Cohort of Patients With Low Back Pain Early in the Care Process

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of patients with low back pain who achieved clinical improvement in disability within 3 or 6 physical therapy visits, identify factors that predicted improvement, and predict the probability of improvement by the third and sixth visits.

METHODS

This retrospective, observational study looked at patients (N = 6523) who completed a numeric pain scale and Modified Low Back Disability Questionnaire (MDQ) at every visit. Four prediction models were developed: 30% improvement by visit 3 and by visit 6 and 50% improvement by visit 3 and by visit 6. A logistic regression model was fit to predict patients' improvement in disability using the MDQ. Predictive models used age, disability scores, sex, symptom duration, and payer type as factors. Receiver operating characteristic curves and area under the curve were computed for the models. Nomograms illustrate the relative impacts of the predictor variables.

RESULTS

Disability improved 30% in 42.7% of patients by visit 3 and 49% by visit 6. Disability improved 50% in 26% of patients by visit 3 and 32.9% by visit 6. First visit score (MDQ1) was strongest factor to predict 30% improvement by visit 3. The visit 3 score (MDQ3) was strongest factor to predict a 30% or 50% improvement by visit 6. The combination of MDQ1 and MDQ3 scores was strongest overall predictive factor for visit 6. The area under the curve values for models using only the MDQ1 and MDQ3 scores to predict 30% or 50% improvement by the sixth visit were 0.84 and 0.85, respectively, representing excellent overall diagnostic accuracy of the prediction models.

CONCLUSION

Excellent discrimination to predict patients' significant clinical improvement by visit 6 using 2 outcome scores was demonstrated. Gathering outcomes routinely enhances assessment of prognosis and clinical decision making.

IMPACT

Understanding prognosis of clinical improvement supports physical therapists' contribution to value-based care.

An international consensus definition for contextual factors: findings from a nominal group technique

Objective

Emerging literature suggests contextual factors are important components of therapeutic encounters and may substantially influence clinical outcomes of a treatment intervention. At present, a single consensus definition of contextual factors, which is universal across all health-related conditions is lacking. The objective of this study was to create a consensus definition of contextual factors to better refine this concept for clinicians and researchers.

Design

The study used a multi-stage virtual Nominal Group Technique (vNGT) to create and rank contextual factor definitions. Nominal group techniques are a form of consensus-based research, and are beneficial for identifying problems, exploring solutions and establishing priorities.

Setting

International.

Main outcome measures

The initial stages of the vNGT resulted in the creation of 14 independent contextual factor definitions. After a prolonged discussion period, the initial definitions were heavily modified, and 12 final definitions were rank ordered by the vNGT participants from first to last.

Participants

The 10 international vNGT participants had a variety of clinical backgrounds and research specializations and were all specialists in contextual factors research.

Results

A sixth round was used to identify a final consensus, which reflected the complexity of contextual factors and included three primary domains: (1) an overall definition; (2) qualifiers that serve as examples of the key areas of the definition; and (3) how contextual factors may influence clinical outcomes.

Conclusion

Our consensus definition of contextual factors seeks to improve the understanding and communication between clinicians and researchers. These are especially important in recognizing their potential role in moderating and/or mediating clinical outcomes.

Four Variables Were Sufficient for Low Back Pain: Determining Which Patient-Reported Tools Pain and Disability Improvements

OBJECTIVE: To predict 30- and 180-day improvements in disability and pain for patients seeking physical therapy care for low back pain (LBP). DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort. METHODS: Baseline assessment was completed by 259 patients with chief complaint of LBP, and the assessment includes psychosocial measures (Keele STarT Back Screening [SBST] and the Optimal Screening for Prediction of Referral and Outcome Yellow Flag [OSPRO-YF] tools), the Optimal Screening for Prediction of Referral and Outcome Review of Symptoms (OSPRO-ROS) and the Review of Symptoms Plus (OSPRO-ROS+) tools, the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), and the National Institute of Health Chronic Pain Criteria (NIH-CP). Using the Modified Low Back Disability Questionnaire (MDQ) and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) as primary outcomes, statistical analysis determined multiple sets of predictor variables with similar model performance. RESULTS: The parsimonious "best model" for prediction of the 180-day MDQ change included 3 predictors (Admit MDQ, NIH-CP, and OSPRO ROS+) because it had the lowest penalized goodness-of-fit statistic (BIC = -35.21) and the highest explained variance (R2 = 0.295). The parsimonious "best model" for 180-day NPRS change included 2 variables (Admit NPRS and OSPRO-ROS+) with the lowest penalized goodness-of-fit statistic (BIC = -18.2) and the highest explained variance (R2 = 0.190). CONCLUSION: There were many model options with similar statistical performance when using established measures to predict MDQ and NPRS outcomes. A potential variable set for a standard predictive model that balances statistical performance with pragmatic considerations included the OSPRO-ROS+, OSPRO-YF, NIH-CP definition, and admit MDQ and NPRS scores. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2022;52(10):685-693. Epub: 12 August 2022. doi:10.2519/jospt.2022.11018.

Association Between Psychosocial Parameters and Response to Chiropractic Care Among Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to determine whether baseline self-efficacy, fear of pain with movement (kinesiophobia), or change in either were associated with clinically important improvement in disability among older adults with chronic low back pain after 12 weeks of chiropractic spinal manipulation (CSM) and exercise.

METHODS

This secondary analysis used randomized trial data from community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older with chronic spinal disability who received non-pharmacological treatment of CSM and exercise. Those with ≥30% reduction in the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) after 12 weeks of treatment were considered responders to care. Psychosocial measures included the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) and the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK). Logistic regression-assessed associations were between psychosocial, demographic, and low back predictors and 30% ODI improvement.

RESULTS

There were 176 community-dwelling older adults included in this analysis. Mean age was 71 years, 59.7% were women; 176 (96.7%) had complete data. Baseline disability (ODI = 26.1 ± 9.3) and back pain (5.0 ± 1.9, 0-10 scale) were moderate. Baseline PSEQ reflected higher self-efficacy (47.7 ± 7.8, 0-60 scale) with minimal kinesiophobia (TSK 34.3 ± 5.2, 17-68 scale). Seventy-two (40.9%) achieved 30% reduction in ODI (mean -5.4 ± 7.9) after 12 weeks of treatment. Mean self-efficacy improvement was clinically important (2.5 ± 6.5 points); kinesiophobia (-2.7 ± 4.4 points) and LBP (-1.6 points) also improved. Baseline PSEQ and percent improvement in PSEQ and TSK were associated with response to treatment in univariate regression analyses but not in multiple regression models that included low back predictors. LBP duration >4 years negatively impacted recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

Among this sample of older adults who received chiropractic manipulation and exercise, baseline self-efficacy and improvements in self-efficacy and kinesiophobia were individually associated with clinically important reductions in disability post-intervention, although not in adjusted models when LBP duration was included.

Prognostic factors for pain chronicity in low back pain: a systematic review

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text.

Several prognostic factors are related to low back pain chronicity, and these should be taken into account when planning more comprehensive models in its prevention.

Low back pain is the leading cause for years lived in disability. Most people with acute low back pain improve rapidly, but 4% to 25% of patients become chronic. Since the previous systematic reviews on the subject, a large number of new studies have been conducted. The objective of this article was to review the evidence of the prognostic factors behind nonspecific chronic low back pain. A systematic literature search was performed without date limitation from the MEDLINE, Cochrane library, and Medic databases. Specific inclusion criteria were used, and risk factors before the onset of chronic symptoms were searched. Study quality was assessed by 2 independent reviewers. One hundred eleven full articles were read for potential inclusion, and 25 articles met all the inclusion criteria. One study was rated as good quality, 19 studies were rated as fair quality, and 5 articles were rated as poor quality. Higher pain intensity, higher body weight, carrying heavy loads at work, difficult working positions, and depression were the most frequently observed risk factors for chronic low back pain. Maladaptive behavior strategies, general anxiety, functional limitation during the episode, smoking, and particularly physical work were also explicitly predictive of chronicity. According to this systematic review, several prognostic factors from the biomechanical, psychological and psychosocial point of view are significant for chronicity in low back pain.

Microwave Radiometry (MWR) temperature measurement is related to symptom severity in patients with Low Back Pain (LBP)

Microwave Radiometry (MWR) has the advantage that measurements of internal (i.e. deep) tissue temperature may be obtained non-invasively by measuring naturally emitted radiation in GHz range. The goal of the present study is to further the development of MWR for clinical application in assessment of patients with Low Back Pain (LBP). In particular, a protocol was developed in which MWR was used to measure internal temperature at the level of the spinous processes of the L1 to L5 vertebral bodies along median and left and right para-vertebral lines. The protocol was used to study 48 patients with clinically confirmed acute or sub-acute LBP and 27 Controls. Analysis revealed there to be a significant increase in deep tissue temperature with increasing pain severity as measured by using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in patients with LBP (p < 0.05). In conclusion, MWR potentially allows for objective assessment of the magnitude of clinical symptoms in patients with LBP and shows promise for measuring pain severity.

Factors Impacting Physical Therapy Utilization for Patients With Nonspecific Low Back Pain: Retrospective Analysis of a Clinical Data Set

OBJECTIVE

Factors predicting physical therapy utilization for lower back pain (LBP) remain unclear, limiting the development of value-based initiatives. The purpose of this study was to identify important factors that impact the number of physical therapist visits per episode of care for US adults with nonspecific LBP.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective observational cohort study of a clinical dataset derived from 80 clinics of a single physical therapy provider organization. Research variables were categorized at the individual (patient) level and the organization (therapist, clinic) level. A hierarchical regression model was designed to identify factors influencing the number of physical therapist visits per episode of care.

RESULTS

Higher out-of-pocket payments per visit, receipt of "active" physical therapy, longer average visit length, earlier use of physical therapy, and sex of the therapist (male) were found to predict fewer visits per episode of care. Percent change of function, prior receipt of physical therapy by the same provider organization, self-discharge from physical therapy, level of starting function, and therapist certification were found to predict more visits. Of the variance in number of visits, 8.0% was attributable to the health care organization.

CONCLUSIONS

Individual factors, such as higher out-of-pocket payment, have a significant impact on reducing visits per episode of care and should be considered when developing value-based initiatives to optimize clinical and utilization outcomes.

IMPACT

Payers use consumer-directed healthcare to reduce costs by discouraging utilization of low value services and encouraging use of low-cost providers. LBP is a costly condition for which physical therapy is a high-value treatment. This study shows that non-need factors predict the number of physical therapy visits per episode of care for patients with nonspecific LBP. Insurance benefit plans with lower out-of-pocket payments for physical therapy and higher reimbursement for active physical therapist interventions may facilitate appropriate utilization of high-value treatment for LBP.

Importance of Early Improvement in the Treatment of Low Back Pain With Physical Therapy

STUDY DESIGN

.: A retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE

Assess the time course of functional outcome improvements during a physical therapy (PT) episode of care for patients with low back pain. In addition, assess the impact of patient variables, such as symptom duration, on the time course of functional outcome improvements.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Early improvement in patient-reported symptoms and functional limitations may play an important role in the eventual success of an intervention. Early improvements in pain are associated with greater improvement in disability and depression in patients with low back pain.

METHODS

A total 11,945 patients were included. Intake functional status (FS), FS change at discharge, predicted FS change at discharge, FS change at first progress report (FS1), duration of symptoms before treatment, and duration of PT episode of care were assessed. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess correlation between collected variables and FS change.

RESULTS

The mean FS change was 16.995 units, mean FS1 was 12.024 units, total duration was 63.591 days, and duration at FS1 was 28.969 days, indicating 70.72% of FS change occurred in the first 45.45% of the episode of care. Similar results occurred in all symptom duration categories, ranging from "0 to 7 days' to "greater than 6 months' duration. Correlation analysis demonstrated that FS1 had the greatest correlation to FS. A strong correlation (r > 0.7) was demonstrated in all symptom duration categories ranging from 0.741 to 0.805.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study yield further support for the importance of rapid functional improvements during a PT episode of care. In addition, patients demonstrated roughly two-thirds of their improvement in the first 40% of visits regardless of their symptom duration. This study may help clinicians identify a need to modify a plan of care if insufficient early improvement is observed.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3.

Using Pain Medication Intensity to Stratify Back Pain Among Older Adults

Objective

To examine the prevalence of musculoskeletal back pain among older adults stratified by pain medication intensity to 1) review treatment patterns and 2) consider targeted back pain prevention interventions.

Methods

A random sample of older adults age 64 years and older was utilized to identify new and recurring back pain. Prescription pain medications from drug claims were used to stratify to five unique intensity levels. The characteristics of each level were determined using regression models.

Results

About 10% had musculoskeletal back pain. Of these, 54% (N = 20,645) had new back pain and 46% (N = 17,252) had recurring back pain. Overall, about 35% received physical therapy. Pain medication intensity levels included no prescription pain medications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), muscle relaxants, low-dose opioids, and high-dose opioids (new back pain: 39%, 10%, 6%, 23%, and 23%, respectively; recurring back pain 32%, 9%, 4%, 17%, and 38%, respectively). NSAID and muscle relaxant users were younger, healthier, and received physical therapy. Opioid users were younger, in poorer health, used sleep medications, received physical therapy, and had more falls and higher health care utilization and expenditures.

Conclusions

New and recurring back pain patients can be stratified by pain medication intensity to review treatment patterns and target back pain prevention programs. Those with back pain but taking no prescription pain medications may benefit from back pain prevention programs. More research on guidelines for treatment options for those on high levels of pain medications is warranted.

Multidimensional screening for predicting pain problems in adults: a systematic review of screening tools and validation studies

Screening tools allowing to predict poor pain outcomes are widely used. Often these screening tools contain psychosocial risk factors. This review (1) identifies multidimensional screening tools that include psychosocial risk factors for the development or maintenance of pain, pain-related distress, and pain-related disability across pain problems in adults, (2) evaluates the quality of the validation studies using Prediction model Risk Of Bias ASsessment Tool (PROBAST), and (3) synthesizes methodological concerns. We identified 32 articles, across 42 study samples, validating 7 screening tools. All tools were developed in the context of musculoskeletal pain, most often back pain, and aimed to predict the maintenance of pain or pain-related disability, not pain-related distress. Although more recent studies design, conduct, analyze, and report according to best practices in prognosis research, risk of bias was most often moderate. Common methodological concerns were identified, related to participant selection (eg, mixed populations), predictors (eg, predictors were administered differently to predictors in the development study), outcomes (eg, overlap between predictors and outcomes), sample size and participant flow (eg, unknown or inappropriate handling of missing data), and analysis (eg, wide variety of performance measures). Recommendations for future research are provided.

Guidelines for Composing and Assessing a Paper on the Treatment of Pain: A Practical Application of Evidence-Based Medicine Principles to the Mint Randomized Clinical Trials

Objective

To perform a thorough assessment of the recently published Mint Trials in order to illustrate how to read and analyze a study critically, according to principles of evidence-based medicine.

Design

Narrative review.

Method

We have applied the recently published guidelines for composing and assessing studies on the treatment of pain to a recently published article describing a large study that claimed its "findings do not support the use of radiofrequency denervation to treat chronic low back pain." These guidelines describe the critical components of a high-quality manuscript that allows communication of all relevant information from authors to readers.

Results

Application of evidence-based medicine principles to the publication describing the Mint Trials reveals significant issues with the methodology and conclusions drawn by the authors. A thorough assessment demonstrates issues with inclusion/exclusion criteria, diagnostic block protocols, radiofrequency neurotomy technique, co-interventions, outcome measurement, power analysis, study sample characteristics, data analysis, and loss to follow-up. A failure to definitively establish a diagnosis, combined with use of an inadequate technique for radiofrequency neurotomy and numerous other methodological flaws, leaves the reader unable to draw meaningful conclusions from the study data.

Conclusions

Critical analysis, rooted in principles of evidence-based medicine, must be employed by writers and readers alike in order to encourage transparency and ensure that appropriate conclusions are drawn from study data.

Adopting Population Health Frameworks in Physical Therapist Practice, Research, and Education: The Urgency of Now

Chronic, noncommunicable diseases have replaced acute, infectious diseases as the leading causes of global mortality and morbidity. Efforts among physical therapists to address noncommunicable diseases have primarily focused on the promotion of healthy behaviors among individual clients. However, the strongest predictors of chronic disease are tied to where we live, work, learn, and play, our families, and our communities. Population health frameworks can help us better understand the complex interrelations between individuals' health condition and their social and physical environment over time and also inform the development of effective programs and policies that improve the health of individuals and communities. The objectives of this article are to: (1) define population health, prevention, and health promotion; (2) provide a current perspective on the utility of population health frameworks in physical therapy; and (3) identify opportunities for the expanded use of population health frameworks in physical therapist practice, research, and education.

Whole blood transcriptomic profiles can differentiate vulnerability to chronic low back pain

The mechanisms underlying the transition from acute to chronic pain remain unclear. Here, we sought to characterize the transcriptome associated with chronic low back pain as well as the transcriptome of the transition from acute to chronic low back pain. For the analysis, we compared the whole blood transcriptome of: (a) patients at the onset of low back pain who no longer had pain within 6 weeks after onset (acute) with patients who developed chronic low back pain at 6 months (chronic T5); and, (b) patients at the onset of low back pain (chronic T1) who developed chronic pain at 6 months with healthy pain-free (normal) controls. The majority of differentially expressed genes were protein coding. We illustrate a unique chronic low back pain transcriptome characterized by significant enrichment for known pain genes, extracellular matrix genes, and genes from the extended major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genomic locus. The transcriptome of the transition from acute to chronic low back pain was characterized by significant upregulation of antigen presentation pathway (MHC class I and II) genes and downregulation of mitochondrial genes associated with oxidative phosphorylation, suggesting a unique genomic signature of vulnerability to low back pain chronicity.

Movement System Impairment-Based Classification Treatment Versus General Exercises for Chronic Low Back Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Treatment for chronic low back pain (LBP) includes different forms of exercises, that to date have resulted in only small to moderate treatment effects. To enhance the treatment effects, different classification systems have been developed to classify people with LBP into more homogeneous subgroups leading to specific treatments for each subgroup.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of a treatment based on the Movement System Impairment (MSI) model with a treatment consisting of symptom-guided stretching and strengthening exercises in people with chronic LBP.

Design

The study was a 2-arm, prospectively registered, randomized controlled trial with a blinded assessor.

Setting

The study setting was a university physical therapy clinic in Brazil.

Patients

A total of 148 participants with chronic LBP participated in the study.

Interventions

Participants were randomly allocated to an 8-week treatment of either treatment based on the MSI-based classification system or symptom-guided stretching and strengthening exercises.

Measurements

Measures of pain intensity, disability, and global impression of recovery were obtained by a blinded assessor at baseline and at follow-up appointments at 2, 4, and 6 months after randomization.

Results

There were no significant between-group differences for the primary outcomes of pain intensity at 2 months (mean difference = 0.05, 95% CI = –0.90 to 0.80) and disability at 2 months (mean difference = 0.00, 95% CI = –1.55 to 1.56). There also were no statistically significant differences between treatment groups for any of the secondary outcome measures.

Limitations

Participants and physical therapists were not masked.

Conclusions

People with chronic LBP had similar improvements in pain, disability, and global impression of recovery with treatment consisting of symptom-guided stretching and strengthening exercises and treatment based on the MSI model.

Analysis of Electroencephalogram of patients with specific low back pain with the massage treatment

Through the investigation of the difference of approximate entropy (ApEn) and Hilbert-Huang Transform Marginal spectrum entropy (HHTMSEn) of the Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals of specific low back pain (SLBP) patients before and after the massage, we wanted to reveal the impact of the massage in the brain, and provided the basis for the massage treatment of SLBP patients. We recruited twenty-six SLBP patients and collected their spontaneous EEG signals before and after the massage. Firstly, we analyzed the ApEn and HHTMSEn of fourteen channels before and after the massage, and results showed that values of ApEn and HHTMSEn after the massage were less than the values before the massage significantly. And then, we extracted δ, θ, α and β rhythms of the EEG signal, and analyzed the ApEn and HHTMSEn of the four rhythms before and after the massage. The results showed that the ApEn values of δ and α rhythm after the massage were significantly less than the values before the massage, and the HHTMSEn values of β rhythms were significantly less than the values before the massage. The results of this study suggested the complexity of EEG signals was reduced with the relief of the pain after the massage therapy, and the change of pain of the SLBP patients was closely related to the change of the rhythms of the brain in the massage therapy, and the ApEn and the HHTMSEn features could serve as a base for quantitative assessment of SLBP condition after the massage therapy.

Risk Stratification for 4,837 Individuals with Knee Pain Who Receive Physical Therapy Treatment

Risk stratification is a modelling method that is designed to target interventions toward patients with specific needs. The objective of the present study was to identify predictive characteristics related to patients with knee impairments who had a high risk of a bad prognosis (exceptional non-responders) as well as those who were at low risk of a bad prognosis (exceptional responders). A cohort of 4,837 patients with knee pain seen for physical therapy was retrospective analysed using univariate and multivariate multinomial regression analyses. Modelling was used to identify characteristics associated with those who were exceptional responders and those who were exceptional non-responders. Exceptional non-responders were significantly associated with older age, female gender, longer duration of symptoms, surgical history, lower functional status at baseline and a payer type. Exceptional responders were significantly associated with younger age, no previous surgical history, higher functional status at baseline and a payer type. Findings may be used for managing processes involving intensity of care service and in understanding probable prognoses for each patient. Future research should continue to examine variables predictive of treatment response in patients with knee pain. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes and Factors That Predict Poor Prognosis in Athletes After a Diagnosis of Acute Spondylolysis: A Retrospective Review With Telephone Follow-up

Study Design Retrospective review with telephone follow-up. Background Acute spondylolytic injuries have a dramatic impact on the young athlete. Excellent short-term clinical outcomes have been observed, but not enough is known about long-term clinical outcomes. Objectives (1) To report long-term clinical outcomes for patients diagnosed with acute spondylolysis, and (2) to assess the prognostic ability of retrospective variables for long-term outcomes. Methods Patients from 2010 through 2013 were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients and to obtain demographic, baseline, and short-term outcomes. Long-term follow-up data were collected by telephone from patients diagnosed with acute spondylolysis to assess recurrence rate of low back pain, perceived outcome, pain, and functional ability. Patients were categorized as having a good or poor long-term outcome based on these measures. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the prognostic ability of the retrospective variables for long-term outcomes 3.4 years (range, 1.5-5.6 years) after treatment. Results One hundred twenty-one (71.6%) patients completed the follow-up questionnaire (48 female; mean age at baseline, 14.4 years). At follow-up, 81 (66.9%) patients were able to maintain their same or a higher level of sport. Recurrence of significant symptoms was reported by 55 (45.5%) patients, with 41 (33.9%) requiring medical treatment. The final logistic regression model revealed that female sex, adverse reaction during care, and multilevel injury were significant predictors of poor long-term outcome (R² = 0.22). Conclusion Although excellent short-term outcomes were noted, 42% of patients reported a poor outcome at long-term follow-up. Female sex, multilevel injury, and experiencing an adverse reaction during care were significant predictors of poor long-term clinical outcome for patients diagnosed with acute spondylolysis. Level of Evidence Prognosis, level 4. Registered January 15, 2015 at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02332200). J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(12):1029-1036. Epub 8 Nov 2016. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.7028.

Identifying Treatment Effect Modifiers in the STarT Back Trial: A Secondary Analysis

Identification of patient characteristics influencing treatment outcomes is a top low back pain (LBP) research priority. Results from the STarT Back trial support the effectiveness of prognostic stratified care for LBP compared with current best care, however, patient characteristics associated with treatment response have not yet been explored. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to identify treatment effect modifiers within the STarT Back trial at 4-month follow-up (n = 688). Treatment response was dichotomized using back-specific physical disability measured using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (≥7). Candidate modifiers were identified using previous literature and evaluated using logistic regression with statistical interaction terms to provide preliminary evidence of treatment effect modification. Socioeconomic status (SES) was identified as an effect modifier for disability outcomes (odds ratio [OR] = 1.71, P = .028). High SES patients receiving prognostic stratified care were 2.5 times less likely to have a poor outcome compared with low SES patients receiving best current care (OR = .40, P = .006). Education level (OR = 1.33, P = .109) and number of pain medications (OR = .64, P = .140) met our criteria for effect modification with weaker evidence (.20 > P ≥ .05). These findings provide preliminary evidence for SES, education, and number of pain medications as treatment effect modifiers of prognostic stratified care delivered in the STarT Back Trial.

PERSPECTIVE

This analysis provides preliminary exploratory findings about the characteristics of patients who might least likely benefit from targeted treatment using prognostic stratified care for LBP.

How Effective is Physical Therapy for Common Low Back Pain Diagnoses?: A Multivariate Analysis of 4597 Patients

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective review.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the treatment of low back pain with physical therapy results in clinically significant improvements in patient-reported pain and functional outcomes.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Low back pain is a major cause of morbidity and disability in health care. Previous studies have found poor efficacy for surgery in the absence of specific indications. A variety of nonoperative treatments are available; however, there is scant evidence to guide the practitioner as to the efficacy of these treatments.

METHODS

Four thousand five hundred ninety-seven patients who underwent physical therapy for the nonoperative treatment of low back pain were included. The primary outcome measures were pre-and post-treatment scores on the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) during activity, and NPRS during rest. Previously published thresholds for minimal clinically important difference (MCID) were used to determine the proportion of patients meeting MCID for each of our outcomes. Patients with starting values below the MCID for each variable were excluded from analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine patient risk factors predictive of treatment failure.

RESULTS

About 28.5% of patients met the MCID for improvement in ODI. Presence of night symptoms, obesity, and smoking were predictors of treatment failure for ODI. Fifty-nine percent of patients met the MCID for improvement in resting NPRS, with a history of venous thromboembolism, night symptoms, psychiatric disease, workers' compensation status, smoking, and obesity predictive of treatment failure. Sixty percent of patients met the MCID for improvement in activity NPRS, with night symptoms, workers' compensation status, and smoking predictive of treatment failure.

CONCLUSION

We observed that a substantial percentage of the population did not meet MCID for pain and function following treatment of low back pain with physical therapy. Common risk factors for treatment failure included smoking and presence of night symptoms.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.