Illness beliefs and treatment beliefs as predictors of short-term and medium-term outcome in chronic back pain

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the predictors of short-term outcome of low back pain (LBP) in a cohort of LBP patients. Subjects and Methods. A prospective cohort of 400 LBP patients who attending the health insurance clinics at Al-Hussinia city, Sharakia governorate, Egypt, were the subjects of this study. The data were collected by using a predesigned questionnaire at the index consultation. The outcome variable (good versus bad outcome), in terms of return to work, was collected one/two weeks later on the next consultation or by telephone. Statistical analyses including predictive regression analysis was done. Results. Out of the analysed 349 patients, there have been 202 patients (58%) with good back pain outcome. Logistic regression analyses showed that the factors most significantly associated with good back pain outcome were the recency of pain (OR = 4.85; 95% CI = 2.88–8.17), patient's occupation (OR = 2.11; 95% CI = 1.33–3.35) and absence of obesity (OR = 2.70; 95% CI = 1.15–5.22). Other significant less important factors were age of the patient, and site of pain. Conclusions. Reliable information on back pain related history, patient's occupation, body mass index and age of the patient at the index consultation are important to assess short-term prognosis in LBP patients.

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Analgesics in Chronic Back Pain

Zeitschrift für Psychologie ◽

10.1027/2151-2604/a000182 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 222 (3) ◽

pp. 179-185 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sandra Kamping ◽

Maike Müller ◽

Regine Klinger ◽

Julia Schmitz ◽

Herta Flor

Keyword(s):

Back Pain ◽

Chronic Back Pain ◽

Negative Attitude ◽

Placebo Response ◽

Pain Medication ◽

Attitude Score ◽

Short Term ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Pain Patients

Patients’ attitude toward and their personal experience of analgesics may not only influence their expectations about new medications they are prescribed but might also influence placebo effects. We assessed attitudes toward pain medication with an 8-item instrument and experiences with pain medication with an 11-item instrument and evaluated the relationship of attitudes and experiences and placebo responses in chronic back pain patients. On average, patients reported a slightly negative attitude toward analgesics and a slightly positive experience with them compared to healthy pain-free controls that had a more positive attitude toward and experience of analgesics. Pain patients seemed to report their short-term experience with analgesics when completing our instrument, as can be seen by the regression of experience with pain medication and the subscale short-term efficacy of non-/minimally invasive pain medication of the pain interview. Using a pharmacological placebo in a subsample of 38 patients, we were able to show that patients with positive attitudes had a larger placebo response than patients with negative attitudes. The size of the placebo response could be predicted using the mean attitude score. Future placebo research assessing patients’ attitudes toward analgesics seems important and could help to understand the results obtained.

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MEDIUM-TERM OUTCOME FOLLOWING INTRA-ARTICULAR CORTICOSTEROID INJECTION IN FIRST CMC JOINT ARTHRITIS USING FLUOROSCOPY

Hand Surgery ◽

10.1142/s0218810409004311 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 14 (02n03) ◽

pp. 99-104 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Wies Maarse ◽

Adam C. Watts ◽

Gregory I. Bain

Keyword(s):

Pain Relief ◽

Surgical Intervention ◽

Corticosteroid Injection ◽

Carpometacarpal Joint ◽

Medium Term ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Outcome ◽

Joint Arthritis ◽

Local Corticosteroid Injection

First carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis (1st CMCJ OA) is a common condition with variable results reported from local corticosteroid injection. This study aims to explore the medium-term outcome with respect to pain relief, patient satisfaction and the need for subsequent surgical intervention. A prospective review was performed of patients undergoing fluoroscopically guided corticosteroid injection by one surgeon, with postal questionnaires for medium-term follow-up. Forty-one patients were included. Thirty-one were female and ten male, with a mean age of 60 years. In the short term 76% of patients reported pain relief with an average duration of four weeks and 69% of the patients reported benefit from injection. After a median follow-up of 36 months 76% of patients reported continuing pain but 59% reported satisfaction with the outcome. Twenty-eight per cent of the patients had undergone surgery. Local corticosteroid injection of the CMCJ provides only short-term pain relief, but few patients go on to surgical intervention.

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