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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 5 of 5 Research Studies DisplayedJackson 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
Suri P, Boyko EJ, Goldberg J
Longitudinal associations between incident lumbar spine MRI findings and chronic low back pain or radicular symptoms: retrospective analysis of data from the longitudinal assessment of imaging and disability of the back (LAIDBACK).
The researchers examined the association of incident lumbar MRI findings with two specific spine-related symptom outcomes: 1) incident chronic bothersome lower back pain, and 2) incident radicular symptoms such as pain, weakness, or sensation alterations in the lower extremity. They found that even when applying more specific definitions for spine-related symptom outcomes, few MRI findings show strong associations with symptom outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS019222
Citation: Suri P, Boyko EJ, Goldberg J .
Longitudinal associations between incident lumbar spine MRI findings and chronic low back pain or radicular symptoms: retrospective analysis of data from the longitudinal assessment of imaging and disability of the back (LAIDBACK).
BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2014 May 13;15:152. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-15-152..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Chronic Conditions, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Imaging, Pain