Articles: low-back-pain.
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Chronic back pain (CBP) is a condition that places a considerable burden on society, with several million people affected in the United States alone. Treatment options to address this problem and relieve CBP are constantly evolving, and one of the most promising treatment modalities for CBP that is refractory to conservative treatment options is endoscopic rhizotomy (ER). ⋯ ER is an effective treatment for refractory CBP with notable advantages. As the technology and popularity of this procedure progress, improvements in the cost, training, and intraoperative time may make it a favorable alternative to the current standard of care.
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Deficits in voluntary activation of the core stabilizing muscles are consistently observed in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP); however, the underlying neural mechanism remains unclear. This cross-sectional study aimed at testing the hypothesis that the impaired voluntary activation of core stabilizing muscles is associated with structural and functional alterations in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and cortex in patients with CLBP. ⋯ Grey matter alterations may be confined to regions responsible for perception, motor control, and emotion regulation in patients with CLBP. The interrupted EC from the basal ganglia to the default mode network might be involved in the impairment of voluntary activation of the core stabilizing muscles.
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Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is associated with insomnia and advanced age. Emerging evidence suggests that the severity of both sleep disorders (like insomnia) and chronic pain are associated with a faster pace of biological aging. We aimed to determine whether the pace of biological age mediates the relationship between insomnia and the impact of cLBP in a sample of community-dwelling adults ages 19 to 85 years. ⋯ Also, the association of insomnia severity with functional performance was partially mediated by the pace of biological aging (β = -0.105, p < .001). Thus, insomnia remains strongly predictive of cLBP outcomes, and the pace of biological aging helps explain this association. Future prospective studies with repeated assessments are needed to uncover the directionality of these complex relationships and ultimately develop interventions to manage cLBP.
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Statistical data show that pain intensity in patients with low back pain is associated with a higher BMI, total serum cholesterol, and triacylglycerol levels. The objective of our study was to evaluate how these associations are dependent on the nature of the patient-doctor relationship. Eighty-nine patients hospitalized with chronic low-back pain (50 women, 39 men; average age: 64.5 ± 12.7 years) were assessed over a 3-year period. ⋯ No correlations were found in the "negative" group or when the patient-doctor relationship was ignored. We found a significant association between subjectively assessed low back pain intensity and serum levels of total and LDL cholesterol in patients with whom the physician had a positive affinity. A positive affinity with the patients having chronic pain and the patient's trust in their physicians may ultimately mean that the patient's statement about pain is more credible, which may retroactively affect the outcome of therapy.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Jan 2023
Observational StudyChronic Low Back Pain with and without Concomitant Osteoarthritis: A Retrospective, Longitudinal Cohort Study of Patients in England.
Despite the high prevalence of chronic low back pain (CLBP) and osteoarthritis (OA), few estimates of the economic cost of these conditions in England have been published. The aim of the present analysis was to characterise the economic burden of moderate-to-severe pain associated with CLBP + OA and CLBP alone compared with general population-matched controls without CLBP or OA. The primary objective was to describe the total healthcare resource use (HCRU) and direct healthcare costs associated with the target patient populations. Secondary objectives were to describe treatment patterns and surgical procedures. ⋯ Moderate-to-severe chronic pain associated with CLBP-with or without OA-has a substantial impact on patients and healthcare providers, leading to higher HCRU and costs versus controls among people with CLBP alone or together with OA.