Functional Disruptions of the Brain in Low Back Pain: A Potential Imaging Biomarker of Functional Disability.
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SUBMITTER: Lamichhane B
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8317987 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:PURPOSE:Low back pain (LBP) is a common ailment in most developed countries. Because most cases of LBP are known as 'non-specific', it has been challenging to develop experimental pain models of LBP which reproduce patients' clinical pain. In addition, previous models have limited applicability in a steady-pain-state neuroimaging environment. Thus, this study aims to devise a low back pain model with a simple methodology to induce experimental LBP, which has similar pain properties to patients' clinical pain, and to apply the model in a steady-pain-state neuroimaging study. METHODS:Our low back extension (LBE) pain model was tested on 217 LBP patients outside the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner to determine the reproducibility of endogenous pain and the similarity to their own clinical pain (STUDY1), and applied in a steady-pain-state functional MRI study (47 LBP patients and 23 healthy controls) to determine its applicability (induced head motions and brain functional connectivity changes; STUDY2). RESULTS:By the LBE pain model, 68.2% of the LBP patients reported increased LBP with high similarity of sensations to their own clinical pain (STUDY1), and the head motions were statistically similar to and correlated with those in resting state (STUDY2). Furthermore, the LBE model altered brain functional connectivity by decreasing the default-mode and the sensorimotor networks, and increasing the salience network, which was significantly associated with the intensity of the induced pain. Conversely, the healthy controls showed increased somatosensory network (but not of the cognitive pain processing). CONCLUSION:Our investigations suggest that our LBE pain model, which increased LBP with high similarity to the LBP patients' own pain sensation and induced patient-specific brain responses with acceptable head motion, could be applied to neuroimaging studies investigating brain responses to different levels of endogenous LBP.
| S-EPMC7263586 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Study designCross-sectional study.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine whether low back pain (subacute and chronic) is related to differences in brain volume.Summary of background dataInconsistent findings have been reported about the effect of chronic low back pain on brain volume, and the effect of subacute low back pain on brain volume has not been sufficiently investigated.MethodsA total of 130 participants were included (23 subacute and 68 chronic low back pain; 39 healthy controls). The main outcome measure was whole and regional brain volume. Clinical outcome measures included pain duration, pain intensity, fear avoidance belief questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Index, and Beck's Depression Inventory.ResultsDecrease in brain volume in several regions was observed in chronic low back pain when compared with health subjects; however, after correcting for multiple comparisons, no significant differences were detected between any of the three groups in whole-brain volume. Regionally, we detected less gray matter volume in two voxels in the middle frontal gyrus in chronic low back pain participants compared with healthy controls. None of the clinical outcome measures were correlated with brain volume measurements.ConclusionLow back pain (subacute or chronic) is not related to significant differences in brain volume after correction for multiple comparisons. The effect size was too small to detect possible subtle changes unless much larger sample sizes are examined, or it is possible that low back pain does not affect brain volume.Level of evidence5.
| S-EPMC5425308 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background contextThe STarT Back Screening Tool (SBST) categorizes risk of future disability in patients with low back pain (LBP). Previous studies evaluating the use of SBST in physical therapy (PT) populations do not reflect the ethnic and socioeconomic diversity occurring in clinical practice and lack statistical power to evaluate factors associated with outcomes within each SBST risk category.PurposeThe purpose of this study is to further refine SBST risk categorization for predicting improvements in functional disability with attention toward patient level factors that might guide SBST use in routine outpatient physical therapy practice.Study design/settingThis was a retrospective cohort study that took place within a large academic, tertiary-care health system.Patient sampleThe study cohort consisted of 1,169 patients with LBP who completed a course of outpatient physical therapy from June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015 and who completed the patient-reported SBST and modified low back pain disability questionnaire (MDQ) questionnaires as part of standard of care.Outcome measuresImprovement in functional disability defined as decrease in 10 or more points in the MDQ.MethodsMultivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate independent predictors of improvement after PT, which included SBST risk category, baseline MDQ, a two-way interaction term between SBST category and baseline MDQ, prior level of function (independent vs. required assistance), demographic characteristics, number of completed PT visits, and duration of PT episode of care. In exploratory analyses, additional two-way interaction terms between SBST category and the significant predictors were added to the regression model.ResultsMean age of patients in the study cohort was 55.1 years (SD 16.1); 657 (56.2%) were female, 117 (10.0%) were black race, 127 (10.9%) had Medicaid insurance, and 353 (30.2%) had previously received PT for back pain. In all, 35.8% (n=419) patients categorized as low risk SBST category, 40.7% (n=476) medium risk SBST category, and 23.4% (n=274) high risk SBST category. There was an interaction between baseline MDQ and SBST risk category and improvement with PT. For all three SBST categories, higher baseline MDQ was associated with higher probability of improvement, but the effect was less pronounced as SBST risk category increased. Additional factors independently associated with reduced odds of improvement after PT included black race (odds ratio [OR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.28-0.72), Medicaid insurance (OR=0.58, 95% CI 0.36-0.95), and prior PT (OR=0.48, 95% CI 0.34-0.67). In exploratory analyses, there was a significant interaction between insurance type and SBST risk category in predicting functional improvement after PT. Patients with Medicare and Medicaid insurance had similar rates of improvement in low and high risk SBST categories but different rates of improvement in the medium risk categories.ConclusionsThe SBST tool predicts outcomes of PT in a cohort of patients receiving outpatient PT for LBP. The odds of improvement varied according to baseline disability and SBST risk status. Race, insurance type, and history of previous PT influenced prediction independent of SBST risk status. Incorporating these variables and the interaction between SBST and baseline disability in outcome models has the potential to refine prediction of outcomes after PT.
| S-EPMC7341439 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveThe purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the effect of functional lumbar stabilization exercises on pain, disability, and kinesiophobia in women with menstrual low back pain (LBP).MethodsThirty women with menstrual LBP participated in the study. Subjects were assigned to a control group (n = 10, mean age = 25.1 ± 4.7 years) and an intervention group (n = 20, mean age = 21.7±2.4 years). Treatment for the intervention group consisted of functional lumbar stabilization exercises, 10 repetitions each, 3 times a day, for 3 consecutive months. The women in the control group received no exercise and performed their regular activity daily living. Pain intensity using a Numeric Pain Scale (NPS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Roland-Morris Questionnaire (RMQ), and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) was collected at baseline and at the end of 3 months in both groups.ResultsStatistical analysis (paired t test) revealed a significant decrease in NPS, ODI, RMQ, and TSK after treatment in the intervention group. No significant difference in NPS, ODI, RMQ, or TSK was found between pre- and postmeasurement scores in the control group. In the analysis of covariance, controlling for pretest scores, a significant difference was found between the 2 groups in the postmeasurement score of NPS (P = .01), ODI (P < .001), RMQ (P = .002), and TSK (P = .04).ConclusionLumbar stabilization exercises were shown to improve pain, disability, and kinesiophobia during menstrual LBP for subjects who participated in this preliminary study compared to those who did not receive the intervention.
| S-EPMC3838710 | biostudies-literature
Project description:A critical component of brain network architecture is a robust hub structure, wherein hub regions facilitate efficient information integration by occupying highly connected and functionally central roles in the network. Across a wide range of neurological disorders, hub brain regions seem to be disrupted, and the character of this disruption can yield insights into the pathophysiology of these disorders. We applied a brain network-based approach to examine hub topology in fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition with prominent central nervous system involvement. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 40 fibromyalgia patients and 46 healthy volunteers, and a small validation cohort of 11 fibromyalgia patients, were analyzed using graph theoretical techniques to model connections between 264 brain regions. In fibromyalgia, the anterior insulae functioned as hubs and were members of the rich club, a highly interconnected nexus of hubs. In fibromyalgia, rich-club membership varied with the intensity of clinical pain: the posterior insula, primary somatosensory, and motor cortices belonged to the rich club only in patients with the highest pain intensity. Furthermore, the eigenvector centrality (a measure of how connected a region is to other highly connected regions) of the posterior insula positively correlated with clinical pain and mediated the relationship between glutamate + glutamine (assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy) within this structure and the patient's clinical pain report. Together, these findings reveal altered hub topology in fibromyalgia and demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, a neurochemical basis for altered hub strength and its relationship to the perception of pain.
| S-EPMC6424595 | biostudies-literature
Project description:[Purpose] The aim of this study was to compare the effects of "McGill stabilization exercises" and "conventional physiotherapy" on pain, functional disability and active back flexion and extension range of motion in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty four patients with chronic non-specific low back pain were randomly assigned to McGill stabilization exercises group (n=17) and conventional physiotherapy group (n=17). In both groups, patients performed the corresponding exercises for six weeks. The visual analog scale (VAS), Quebec Low Back Pain Disability Scale Questionnaire and inclinometer were used to measure pain, functional disability, and active back flexion and extension range of motion, respectively. [Results] Statistically significant improvements were observed in pain, functional disability, and active back extension range of motion in McGill stabilization exercises group. However, active back flexion range of motion was the only clinical symptom that statistically increased in patients who performed conventional physiotherapy. There was no significant difference between the clinical characteristics while compared these two groups of patients. [Conclusion] The results of this study indicated that McGill stabilization exercises and conventional physiotherapy provided approximately similar improvement in pain, functional disability, and active back range of motion in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. However, it appears that McGill stabilization exercises provide an additional benefit to patients with chronic non-specific low back, especially in pain and functional disability improvement.
| S-EPMC5908986 | biostudies-other
Project description:Study designTwo-year, prospective cohort data from the Japan epidemiological research of occupation-related back pain study in urban settings were used for this analysis.ObjectiveTo examine the association between aggravated low back pain and psychosocial factors among Japanese workers with mild low back pain.Summary of background dataAlthough psychosocial factors are strongly indicated as yellow flags of low back pain (LBP) leading to disability, the association between aggravated LBP and psychosocial factors has not been well assessed in Japanese workers.MethodsAt baseline, 5,310 participants responded to a self-administered questionnaire including questions about individual characteristics, ergonomic work demands, and work-related psychosocial factors (response rate: 86.5%), with 3,811 respondents completing the 1-year follow-up questionnaire. The target outcome was aggravation of mild LBP into persistent LBP during the follow-up period. Incidence was calculated for the participants with mild LBP during the past year at baseline. Logistic regression was used to explore risk factors associated with persistent LBP.ResultsOf 1,675 participants who had mild LBP during the preceding year, 43 (2.6%) developed persistent LBP during the follow-up year. Multivariate analyses adjusted for individual factors and an ergonomic factor found statistically significant or almost significant associations of the following psychosocial factors with persistent LBP: interpersonal stress at work [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.96 and 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.00-3.82], job satisfaction (OR: 2.34, 95%CI: 1.21-4.54), depression (OR: 1.92, 95%CI: 1.00-3.69), somatic symptoms (OR: 2.78, 95%CI: 1.44-5.40), support from supervisors (OR: 2.01, 95%CI: 1.05-3.85), previous sick-leave due to LBP (OR: 1.94, 95%CI: 0.98-3.86) and family history of LBP with disability (OR: 1.98, 95%CI: 1.04-3.78).ConclusionsPsychosocial factors are important risk factors for persistent LBP in urban Japanese workers. It may be necessary to take psychosocial factors into account, along with physical work demands, to reduce LBP related disability.
| S-EPMC3979726 | biostudies-literature
Project description:OBJECTIVES:Characteristics of muscle activity, represented by surface electromyography (EMG), have revealed differences between patients with low back pain (LBP) and healthy adults; how they relate to functional and clinical parameters remains unclear. The purpose of the current study was to examine the correlation between frequency characteristics of EMG (analysed using continuous wavelet transform (CWT) analysis) and patients' self-rated score of disability. DESIGN AND SETTING:This is a case-control study with 15 patients with mechanical LBP without radicular symptoms. Patients were recruited from the orthopaedic clinic at Charing Cross Hospital. Ten healthy adults were recruited from the staff working in the hospital and associated university. Patients completed the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and bilateral EMG activity was obtained from erector spinae at vertebral levels L4 and T12. Subjects performed three brief maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) of the back extensors and the torque was measured using a dynamometer. CWT was applied to the EMG signals of each muscle in a 200?ms window centred around the peak torque obtained during the MVICs. The ratio (low/high frequencies) of the energy, the peak power and the frequency of the peak power were calculated for each recording site, averaged and correlated with the individual's RMDQ score. RESULTS:Patients had lower peak power (T12 and L4) and lower frequency of the peak power (at T12) than the healthy adults. Additionally, RMDQ positively correlated to the average ratio of energy at T12 (r=0.63; p=0.012), that is, greater self-rated disability corresponded to a dominant distribution of energy in the lower frequencies. CONCLUSION:The current findings reveal alterations in EMG profile and its association with self-related back pain disability, suggesting that spectral characteristics of EMG reflect muscle function.
| S-EPMC5829836 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundImaging is overused in the management of low back pain, resulting in overdiagnosis, increased healthcare utilisation, and increased costs. Few effective interventions to decrease inappropriate use have been developed and have typically not been developed using behaviour change theory. An intervention to reduce non-indicated imaging for low back pain was developed using behavioural change theory, incorporating a novel low back pain management booklet to facilitate patient education and reassurance. The aim of this study was to assess the adoption and feasibility of use of the developed intervention within clinical practice and to determine appropriate implementation strategies to address identified barriers to use.MethodsFourteen general medical practitioners were recruited and trained to use the booklet with low back pain patients over a minimum 5-month period. Quantitative data on use of the booklet were collected and analysed descriptively. Qualitative data on use of the booklet and training session were collected in general medical practitioner interviews and thematically analysed. Barriers to use were identified and mapped to suitable implementation strategies using the Behaviour Change Wheel.ResultsPractitioners used the booklet with 73 patients. The booklet was used with 63% of patients presenting with low back pain. Facilitators for using the booklet included patient's requesting imaging and lower practitioner confidence in managing low back pain. Barriers included accessible storage and remembering to use the booklet. Implementation strategies were identified to increase adoption and feasibility of use, including development of a digital version of the booklet.ConclusionsGeneral medical practitioners reported that the low back pain management booklet and training were useful for clinical practice, particularly with patients requesting imaging. Barriers to use were identified and implementation strategies to address these barriers will be incorporated into future effectiveness studies. This study forms one of a series of studies to thoroughly develop and test an intervention to reduce non-indicated imaging for low back pain; a successful intervention would decrease healthcare costs and improve patient management.
| S-EPMC9238090 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundLow back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder that affects people of all ages. This study investigates the effects of the addition of hands-on procedures to McKenzie exercises on patients with LBP and derangement syndrome.MethodsForty-eight female patients were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or control group. All the patients in both groups underwent McKenzie exercises, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and education for 35 min/session-45 min/ session, with three sessions/week for 2 weeks. Hands-on procedures were added to the McKenzie extension exercises only for the patients in the experimental group. A visual analogue scale (VAS), the Oswestry disability index (ODI), back range of motion (BROM) and body diagrams were used to measure pain, functional disability, BROM and the centralisation of symptoms, respectively.ResultsThe mean values of VAS, ODI and BROM significantly improved after the interventions in both groups (P < 0.05), whereas the results of repeated measures ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U tests showed statistically non-significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05).ConclusionThe addition of hands-on procedures to McKenzie exercises, TENS and education significantly alleviated back pain and functional disability and improved the back mobility and centralisation of symptoms in patients with LBP and derangement syndrome; however, these measures did not result in any significant additional benefits for such patients.
| S-EPMC10325135 | biostudies-literature