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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 58 Research Studies DisplayedKim HS, Strickland KJ, Seitz AL
Patient perspectives on seeking emergency care for acute low back pain and access to physical therapy in the emergency department.
This study’s purpose was to explore patient perspectives on visiting the emergency department (ED) for low back pain to inform a more patient-centered approach to emergency care. The authors conducted focus group discussions and individual interviews among patients visiting an urban academic ED for acute low back pain. They recruited participants from an ongoing prospective study of 101 patients receiving either ED-initiated physical therapy or usual care. They conducted 4 focus group discussions among 18 participants (median age 46.5 years, 66.7% women, 61.1% Black) and individual interviews with 27 participants (median age 45 years, 55.6% women, 44.4% White). They identified 5 summary themes: (1) the decision to seek emergency care for low back pain is motivated by severe pain, resulting disability, and fears about a catastrophic diagnosis, (2) participants sought various goals from their ED visit but emphasized the primacy of pain control, (3) participants were reluctant to use pain medications but also acknowledged their benefit, (4) participants perceived a number of benefits from direct access to an ED physical therapist in the ED, and (5) participation in physical therapy ultimately facilitated recovery, but the pain was a barrier to performing exercises.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011; HS027426.
Citation: Kim HS, Strickland KJ, Seitz AL .
Patient perspectives on seeking emergency care for acute low back pain and access to physical therapy in the emergency department.
Ann Emerg Med 2023 Aug; 82(2):154-63. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.12.028..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Back Health and Pain, Pain
Ayers DC, Zheng H, Yang W
How back pain affects patient satisfaction after primary total knee arthroplasty.
This study looked at patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for patients with back pain (BP) who underwent total knee arthroscopy (TKA) surgery for pre- and postoperatively. This multicenter cohort study included 9,057 patients undergoing primary unilateral TKA who were enrolled in FORCE-TJ. Back pain (BP) intensity was assessed using the Oswestry back disability index (ODI) pain intensity questionnaire, with BP severity then classified into 4 categories. PROs were collected preoperatively and postoperatively after 1 year including the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) (total score, pain, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and Quality of Life (QOL), Short-Form health survey 36-item (SF-36) Physical Component Score (PCS), and Mental Component Score (MCS)). At 1 year a total of 18.3% TKA patients were dissatisfied. At the time of surgery, a total of 4,765 patients (52.6%) reported back pain, divided into mild BP (24.9%), moderate (20.3%), and severe (7.2%). Severe back pain was significantly associated with patient dissatisfaction at 1 year after TKA. The predictive variables for dissatisfaction include age [odds ratio (OR) for younger patients <65 years versus older patients ≥65 years], educational level [OR for post high school versus less], smoking [OR for nonsmoker versus current smoker)], and Charlson comorbidity index [OR for CCI ≥2 versus 0]. The authors recommend surgeons consider a spine evaluation in patients who have severe BP prior to TKA.
AHRQ-funded; HS018910.
Citation: Ayers DC, Zheng H, Yang W .
How back pain affects patient satisfaction after primary total knee arthroplasty.
J Arthroplasty 2023 Jun; 38(6s):S103-s08. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2023.03.072..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Pain, Pain, Patient Experience, Orthopedics, Surgery
Ganguli I, Ying W, Shakley T
Cascade services and spending following low-value imaging for uncomplicated low back pain among commercially insured adults.
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of low-value imaging on cascade services and spending in commercially-insured adults with uncomplicated acute low back pain. The researchers analyzed medical claims from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts members aged 18-50 years who received a 2018 diagnosis of uncomplicated low back pain, for which imaging was considered inappropriate according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) criteria. In 2018, 30,892 members were eligible for low-value imaging. Of these, 6009 (19.5%) received low-value imaging: 5091 (16.5%) X-ray and 787 (2.5%) MRI. The study found that when compared to patients without low-value imaging, those with low-value X-ray or MRI had higher adjusted probabilities of receiving cascade services and greater adjusted total spending at 3, 6, and 12 months. These results were robust to falsification testing. Members with high deductible health plans (HDHP) had higher narrowly defined cascade-associated out-of-pocket spending than those in other plans. The most common sources of narrowly defined cascade-associated spending were physical therapy, office visits, radiology studies, laboratory studies, and surgery.
J Gen Intern Med 2023 Mar;38(4):1102-05. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07829-2
Citation: Ganguli I, Ying W, Shakley T .
Cascade services and spending following low-value imaging for uncomplicated low back pain among commercially insured adults.
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Keywords: Imaging, Back Health and Pain, Pain, Healthcare Costs
Jackson P, Goodin BR, Long DL
The area deprivation index corresponds effectively with other measures of objective socioeconomic status in adults with chronic low back pain.
The purpose of this study was to compare the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and other measures of socioeconomic status (SES), including income, education, and subjective social status (SSS), in their ability to predict pain severity/ interference in patients with chronic low back pain. The study found that pain severity/ interference correlated negatively with income and education and correlated positively with ADI. Criterion scores of the pain severity model indicate income performs best followed by ADI, with similar results with the pain interference model. The study concluded that when attempting to understand the impact of SES on chronic low back pain, neighborhood-level and individual-level factors should be considered.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Jackson P, Goodin BR, Long DL .
The area deprivation index corresponds effectively with other measures of objective socioeconomic status in adults with chronic low back pain.
J Nurs Meas 2022 Sep 1;30(3):433-48. doi: 10.1891/jnm-d-20-00126..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Social Determinants of Health
Curatolo M, Rundell SD, Gold LS
Long-term effectiveness of epidural steroid injections after new episodes of low back pain in older adults.
The purpose of this prospective study was to compare older adults undergoing epidural steroid injections (ESI) with patients not receiving ESI to test the hypotheses that those on ESI: 1) have worse outcomes before ESI, 2) have improved outcomes after ESI, and 3) have improved outcomes due to a specific ESI effect. The researchers evaluated patients 65 years of age or older from 3 United States health care systems who presented to primary care with new episodes of back pain. The three outcomes assessed were back and leg pain intensity, disability, and quality of life, all of which were evaluated at baseline, and then with 3-, 6-, 12- and 24- month follow-ups. The study found that in ESI patients, pain intensity, disability, and quality of life at baseline were significantly worse than in non-ESI patients. The study concluded that adults 65 and older who were treated with ESI have long-term improvement, but the improvement is not likely to be related to a specific effect of ESI, making epidural steroid injections unlikely to provide long-term benefits.
AHRQ-funded; HS019222; HS022972.
Citation: Curatolo M, Rundell SD, Gold LS .
Long-term effectiveness of epidural steroid injections after new episodes of low back pain in older adults.
Eur J Pain 2022 Aug;26(7):1469-80. doi: 10.1002/ejp.1975..
Keywords: Elderly, Back Health and Pain, Pain, Treatments
Sisco-Taylor BL, Magel JS, McFadden M
Changes in pain catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs as mediators of early physical therapy on disability and pain in acute low-back pain: a secondary analysis of a clinical trial.
In this study, the researchers hypothesized that reducing pain catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs early would mediate early physical therapy’s effects on changes in disability and pain intensity. The Fear-Avoidance Model (FAM) postulates that pain catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs are predictive for chronicity and disability. The research studied 204 clinical study trial patients who had been experiencing low-back pain for less than 16 days. At a baseline, 4 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year, the participants completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ work and physical activity scales), and outcomes (Oswestry Disability Index and Numeric Pain Rating Scale). The researchers found that early physical therapy led to improvements in pain and disability over 3 months, but not 1 year. In the single mediator model, 4-week reductions in pain catastrophizing mediated the effects of early PT on 3-month disability and pain intensity improvements, but the effects were small. The study concluded that at least partly through reducing patients’ catastrophizing, early physical therapy may improve disability and pain outcomes in patients with acute low-back pain.
AHRQ-funded; HS018672.
Citation: Sisco-Taylor BL, Magel JS, McFadden M .
Changes in pain catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs as mediators of early physical therapy on disability and pain in acute low-back pain: a secondary analysis of a clinical trial.
Pain Med 2022 May 30;23(6):1127-37. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnab292..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Pain
Kim HS, Muschong KM, Fishman IL KM, Fishman IL
Embedded emergency department physical therapy versus usual care for acute low back pain: a protocol for the NEED-PT randomised trial.
This protocol paper discusses a study that will evaluate outcomes of having an embedded physical therapist in the emergency department (ED) for patients experiencing acute low back pain. The desired outcome is lower patient-reported opioid use post-discharge. The study will enroll patients with acute low back pain at an urban academic ED in Chicago, Illinois. This case-control study will randomize patients to either the embedded physical therapy or the usual care. The authors will follow the patients to a primary endpoint of 3 months and compare a primary outcome of change in PROMIS-Pain Interference score and secondary outcomes of change in modified Oswestry Disability Index score and patient-reported opioid use.
AHRQ-funded; HS027426.
Citation: Kim HS, Muschong KM, Fishman IL KM, Fishman IL .
Embedded emergency department physical therapy versus usual care for acute low back pain: a protocol for the NEED-PT randomised trial.
BMJ Open 2022 May 24;12(5):e061283. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061283..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Back Health and Pain, Pain
Rumble DD, O'Neal K, Overstreet DS
Sleep and neighborhood socioeconomic status: a micro longitudinal study of chronic low-back pain and pain-free individuals.
This study compared associations between neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES), pain-status (chronic low back pain vs. pain-free), and daily sleep metrics in 117 adults. With neighborhood-level SES gathered from Neighborhood Atlas, and with individuals completing home sleep monitoring for 7 consecutive days/nights, analyses revealed neighborhood-level SES and neighborhood-level SES pain-status interaction significantly impacted objective sleep quality.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Rumble DD, O'Neal K, Overstreet DS .
Sleep and neighborhood socioeconomic status: a micro longitudinal study of chronic low-back pain and pain-free individuals.
J Behav Med 2021 Dec;44(6):811-21. doi: 10.1007/s10865-021-00234-w..
Keywords: Sleep Problems, Back Health and Pain, Chronic Conditions, Pain
Greenberg JK, Olsen MA, Poe J
Administrative data are unreliable for ranking hospital performance based on serious complications after spine fusion.
The authors evaluated the extent to which a metric of serious complications determined from administrative data can reliably profile hospital performance in spine fusion surgery. They found that a metric of serious complications was unreliable for benchmarking cervical fusion outcomes and only modestly reliable for thoracolumbar fusion. They concluded that, when assessed using administrative datasets, these measures appeared to be inappropriate for high-stakes applications, such as public reporting or pay-for-performance.
AHRQ-funded; HS027075; HS019455.
Citation: Greenberg JK, Olsen MA, Poe J .
Administrative data are unreliable for ranking hospital performance based on serious complications after spine fusion.
Spine 2021 Sep 1;46(17):1181-90. doi: 10.1097/brs.0000000000004017..
Keywords: Surgery, Provider Performance, Hospitals, Adverse Events, Back Health and Pain
Overstreet DS, Michl AN, Penn TM
Temporal summation of mechanical pain prospectively predicts movement-evoked pain severity in adults with chronic low back pain.
The objective of this study was to determine whether quantitative sensory tests of endogenous pain inhibition and facilitation prospectively predict movement-evoked pain and chronic low back pain severity self-reported on a validated questionnaire. Through surveys using the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form, findings suggested that a pro-nociceptive pain modulatory balance characterized by enhanced pain facilitation may be an important driver of movement-evoked pain severity and poor physical function in individuals with chronic low back pain.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Overstreet DS, Michl AN, Penn TM .
Temporal summation of mechanical pain prospectively predicts movement-evoked pain severity in adults with chronic low back pain.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2021 May 10;22(1):429. doi: 10.1186/s12891-021-04306-5..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Kim HS, Ciolino JD, Lancki N
A prospective observational study of emergency department-initiated physical therapy for acute low back pain.
The purpose of this study was to compare patient-reported outcomes in patients receiving emergency department-initiated physical therapy and patients receiving usual care for acute low back pain. Findings showed that emergency department-initiated physical therapy for low back pain was associated with greater improvement in functioning and lower use of high-risk medications over 3 months.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Kim HS, Ciolino JD, Lancki N .
A prospective observational study of emergency department-initiated physical therapy for acute low back pain.
Phys Ther 2021 Mar 3;101(3). doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzaa219..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Back Health and Pain, Pain, Chronic Conditions
Fenton JJ, Jerant A, Franks P
Watchful waiting as a strategy to reduce low-value spinal imaging: study protocol for a randomized trial.
This paper describes the protocol that will be used for an upcoming randomized control trial to determine the effectiveness of teaching clinicians how to advise watchful waiting when patients request low-value spinal imaging for acute low back pain. The authors will recruit 8-10 primary care and urgent care clinics in Sacramento, California. The study will last 3-6 months and during this time clinicians in the intervention group with receive 3 visits with standardized patient instructors (SPIs) portraying patients with acute back pain. The SPIs will instruct clinicians in a 3-step model emphasizing trust, empathic communication, and negotiation of a watchful waiting approach. The primary outcome looked for will a decreased post-intervention rate of spinal imaging among actual patients with acute back pain compared to the rate of imaging during the baseline period. Secondary outcomes will include use of targeted communication techniques during a follow-up visit with an SP.
AHRQ-funded; HS026415.
Citation: Fenton JJ, Jerant A, Franks P .
Watchful waiting as a strategy to reduce low-value spinal imaging: study protocol for a randomized trial.
Trials 2021 Feb 27;22(1):167. doi: 10.1186/s13063-021-05106-x..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Imaging, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Fritz JM, Lane E, McFadden M
Physical therapy referral from primary care for acute back pain with sciatica: a randomized controlled trial.
This study examined whether early physical therapy (EPT) use in sciatica patients of less than 90 days duration reduces disability compared to usual care (UC) alone. A cohort of 220 adult sciatica patients ages 18 to 60 at two healthcare systems in Salt Lake City, Utah were randomly assigned to the control or EPT. Half (110) were given EPT, 1 education session, and then referred to 4 weeks of physical therapy including exercise and manual therapy. The other 110 were provided usual care. Outcomes were measured using the Oswestry Disability Index (OSW) after 6 months. Secondary outcomes were pain intensity, patient-reported treatment success, health care use or missed workdays. The EPT group were more likely to self-report less back pain after 5 weeks as well as treatment success after 1 year than the UC care group. There were no significant differences in health care use or missed workdays with the 2 groups.
AHRQ-funded; HS022641.
Citation: Fritz JM, Lane E, McFadden M .
Physical therapy referral from primary care for acute back pain with sciatica: a randomized controlled trial.
Ann Intern Med 2021 Jan;174(1):8-17. doi: 10.7326/m20-4187..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Pain, Primary Care
Nayfe R, Chansard M, Hynan LS
Comparison of patient-reported outcomes measurement information system and legacy instruments in multiple domains among older veterans with chronic back pain.
This study evaluated construct (convergent and discriminant) validity and time to complete NIH's Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) as compared to legacy instruments. Results showed that, given time efficiency of using PROMIS, along with strong construct validity, PROMIS instruments are a practical choice for measuring multidimensional patient-reported outcomes in older Veterans with chronic low back pain for both research and clinical purposes.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Nayfe R, Chansard M, Hynan LS .
Comparison of patient-reported outcomes measurement information system and legacy instruments in multiple domains among older veterans with chronic back pain.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2020 Sep 8;21(1):598. doi: 10.1186/s12891-020-03587-6..
Keywords: Elderly, Back Health and Pain, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Research Methodologies
Rundell SD, Resnik L, Heagerty PJ
Performance of the Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI) in prognostic models for risk adjustment in patients with back pain.
The Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI) is a comorbidity measure associated with physical function and may contribute to risk adjustment models in rehabilitation settings, but an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) of the FCI has not been tested in outpatient settings. The purpose of this cohort study was to examine the ability of an ICD-9-CM- based FCI to predict function, health-related quality of life, and overall health care use.
AHRQ-funded; HS01922201; HS022972.
Citation: Rundell SD, Resnik L, Heagerty PJ .
Performance of the Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI) in prognostic models for risk adjustment in patients with back pain.
Pm r 2020 Sep;12(9):891-98. doi: 10.1002/pmrj.12315..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Quality of Life, Rehabilitation
Rundell SD, Resnik L, Heagerty PJ
Comparing the performance of comorbidity indices in predicting functional status, health-related quality of life, and total health care use in older adults with back pain.
The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to determine how well the functional comorbidity index (FCI) predicted outcomes in older adults with back pain compared to Quan's modification of the Charlson comorbidity index (Quan-Charlson comorbidity index) and the Elixhauser comorbidity index. The investigators concluded that all indices performed similarly in predicting outcomes. The authors indicated that there is still a need to develop better function-based risk-adjustment models that improve prediction of functional outcomes versus standard comorbidity indices.
AHRQ-funded; HS019222; HS022972.
Citation: Rundell SD, Resnik L, Heagerty PJ .
Comparing the performance of comorbidity indices in predicting functional status, health-related quality of life, and total health care use in older adults with back pain.
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2020 Mar;50(3):143-48. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2020.8764..
Keywords: Elderly, Back Health and Pain, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Quality of Life, Healthcare Utilization, Health Status
Aroke EN, Jackson P, Overstreet DS
Race, social status, and depressive symptoms: a moderated mediation analysis of chronic low back pain interference and severity.
Clin J Pain 2020 Sep;36(9):658-66. doi: 10.1097/ajp.0000000000000849.
Citation: Aroke EN, Jackson P, Overstreet DS .
Race, social status, and depressive symptoms: a moderated mediation analysis of chronic low back pain interference and severity.
Clin J Pain 2020 Sep;36(9):658-66. doi: 10.1097/ajp.0000000000000849.
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Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Chronic Conditions, Pain, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
O'Reilly-Jacob M, Perloff J, Buerhaus P
Comparing the rates of low-value back images ordered by physicians and nurse practitioners for Medicare beneficiaries in primary care.
This study measures the rates of low-value back images ordered by primary care physicians and nurse practitioners for Medicare beneficiaries, and there was no detectable difference between the two groups in 2012 and 2013.
AHRQ-funded; HS00062.
Citation: O'Reilly-Jacob M, Perloff J, Buerhaus P .
Comparing the rates of low-value back images ordered by physicians and nurse practitioners for Medicare beneficiaries in primary care.
Nurs Outlook 2019 Nov - Dec;67(6):713-24. doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2019.05.005..
Keywords: Imaging, Back Health and Pain, Primary Care, Imaging, Pain
Colloca L, Lee SE, Luhowy MN
Relieving acute pain (RAP) study: a proof-of-concept protocol for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
This study hypothesizes that dose-extending placebos can be an effective treatment in relieving clinical acute pain in trauma patients who take opioids. Publishing this study protocol will enable researchers and funding bodies to stay up to date in their fields by providing exposure to research activity that may not be otherwise widely publicized.
AHRQ-funded; HS022135.
Citation: Colloca L, Lee SE, Luhowy MN .
Relieving acute pain (RAP) study: a proof-of-concept protocol for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
BMJ Open 2019 Nov 11;9(11):e030623. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030623..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Opioids, Medication
Garrity B, Berry Crofton, C
Parent-to-parent advice on considering spinal fusion in children with neuromuscular scoliosis.
The purpose of this study was to convey advice from families whose children recently underwent spinal fusion to families whose children are under consideration for initial spinal fusion for neuromuscular scoliosis and to providers who counsel families on this decision. Results showed that parents of children who had recently undergone spinal fusion had strong perceptions about what information to convey to families considering surgery, which may improve communication between future parents and physicians. Further investigation is needed to assess how best to incorporate the wisdom and experiences of parent peers into shared decisionmaking and preparation for spinal fusion in children with neuromuscular scoliosis.
AHRQ-funded; HS024453.
Citation: Garrity B, Berry Crofton, C .
Parent-to-parent advice on considering spinal fusion in children with neuromuscular scoliosis.
J Pediatr 2019 Oct;213:149-54. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.05.055..
Keywords: Shared Decision Making, Patient and Family Engagement, Caregiving, Children/Adolescents, Back Health and Pain, Surgery
Brodney S, Fowler FJ, Barry MJ
Comparison of three measures of shared decision making: SDM Process_4, CollaboRATE, and SURE scales.
This study compared 3 different shared decision making (SDM) aids for patients facing surgery for hip or knee osteoarthritis, lumbar herniated disc or lumber spinal stenosis (backs). Patients were surveys after they used one of the following patient decision aids (PDAs): SMD Process_4, CollaboRATE, or SURE. The sample size was 649 with a mean age of 63.3 years, 51% female, and 60% were college educated. Most patients (69%) were facing hip or knee surgery. Results showed that the PDAs did aid patients – especially for hips/knees and were different for each PDA.
AHRQ-funded; HS025718.
Citation: Brodney S, Fowler FJ, Barry MJ .
Comparison of three measures of shared decision making: SDM Process_4, CollaboRATE, and SURE scales.
Med Decis Making 2019 Aug;39(6):673-80. doi: 10.1177/0272989x19855951..
Keywords: Shared Decision Making, Surgery, Arthritis, Back Health and Pain
Kim HS, Kaplan SH, McCarthy DM
A comparison of analgesic prescribing among ED back and neck pain visits receiving physical therapy versus usual care.
Researchers used a retrospective cohort study to examine whether physical therapy (PT) is associated with lower analgesic prescribing in the emergency department (ED) setting. They found that, in this single center study, ED back and neck pain visits receiving PT were no less likely to receive an opioid prescription and were more likely to receive a benzodiazepine than visits receiving usual care. They conclude that, although prior studies demonstrated that PT may reduce opioid utilization in the subsequent year, these results indicated that analgesic prescribing is not reduced at the initial ED encounter.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Kim HS, Kaplan SH, McCarthy DM .
A comparison of analgesic prescribing among ED back and neck pain visits receiving physical therapy versus usual care.
Am J Emerg Med 2019 Jul;37(7):1322-26. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2018.10.009..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Practice Patterns, Emergency Department, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Pain, Back Health and Pain, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice
Martin BI, Mirza SK, Spina N
Trends in lumbar fusion procedure rates and associated hospital costs for degenerative spinal diseases in the United States, 2004 to 2015.
This study analyzed trends in lumbar fusion procedure rates for degenerative spinal diseases in the US from 2004 to 2015 as well as associated hospital costs. Spinal fusion is considered an appropriate procedure for spinal deformity and instability, but has limited evidence of effectiveness for primary disc herniation and spinal stenosis without instability. The analysis showed that aggregate hospital costs increased 177% during the analysis period with disc degeneration, herniation and stenosis accounted for 42.3% of the elective surgery. The largest increases in the elective surgery were for spondylolisthesis and scoliosis and has slightly decreased for those procedures with less evidence of effectiveness.
AHRQ-funded; HS024714.
Citation: Martin BI, Mirza SK, Spina N .
Trends in lumbar fusion procedure rates and associated hospital costs for degenerative spinal diseases in the United States, 2004 to 2015.
Spine 2019 Mar 1;44(5):369-76. doi: 10.1097/brs.0000000000002822..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Surgery
Jarvik JG, Gold LS, Tan K
Long-term outcomes of a large, prospective observational cohort of older adults with back pain.
The study’s primary goals were to report 2-year outcomes of older adults initiating primary care for back pain and to examine the relative importance of patient factors vs. medical interventions in predicting 2-year disability and pain. The investigators found that baseline patient factors were more important than early interventions in explaining disability and pain after 2 years.
AHRQ-funded; HS019222; HS022972.
Citation: Jarvik JG, Gold LS, Tan K .
Long-term outcomes of a large, prospective observational cohort of older adults with back pain.
Spine J 2018 Jan 29;18(9):1540-51. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2018.01.018..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Elderly, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Milani CJ, Rundell SD, Jarvik JG
Associations of race and ethnicity with patient-reported outcomes and health care utilization among older adults initiating a new episode of care for back pain.
The purpose of this study was to characterize associations of self-reported race/ethnicity with back pain (BP) patient-reported outcomes and health care utilization among older adults with a new episode of care for BP. The investigators found that Blacks and Hispanics had slightly less improvement in BP-related functional limitations over time, and less spine-related health care utilization, as compared to whites and non-Hispanics, respectively. The authors suggested that residual confounding may explain some of the association between race/ethnicity and health outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS019222; HS022972.
Citation: Milani CJ, Rundell SD, Jarvik JG .
Associations of race and ethnicity with patient-reported outcomes and health care utilization among older adults initiating a new episode of care for back pain.
Spine 2018 Jul 15;43(14):1007-17. doi: 10.1097/brs.0000000000002499..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Elderly, Healthcare Utilization, Outcomes, Racial and Ethnic Minorities