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Non-pharmacological Treatment for Pain After Spine Surgery

Primary Purpose

Low Back Pain, Chronic Pain, Surgery

Status
Recruiting
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
United States
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Standard Care (SC)
Enriched Pain Management Pathway (EPM)
Sponsored by
Dan Rhon
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Low Back Pain focused on measuring chronic pain, low back pain, spine surgery, non-pharmacological treatment, mindfulness, physical therapy

Eligibility Criteria

18 Years - 75 Years (Adult, Older Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Tricare beneficiary receiving care in a participating MHS facility.
  2. Age 18 - 75 years at the time of enrollment
  3. Scheduled to undergo lumbar spine surgery within the next 60 days. Surgery may be laminectomy with or without fusions including lateral, transforaminal, posterior or anterior approach for 1-4 lumbar levels. Surgery may be performed in military or civilian facility
  4. Indication for surgery may include disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, lumbar stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis or scoliosis.
  5. Anticipates ability to attend treatment sessions over a 16 week period following the surgical procedure with no planned absence of 2 weeks or more for training, vacation or any purpose

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Indication for surgery is infection, fracture, tumor, trauma or other indication requiring emergency surgery.
  2. A microsurgical technique as the primary procedure, such as an isolated laminotomy or microdiscectomy
  3. Surgical procedure is a revision or participant has undergone a lumbar surgical procedure in the past year.
  4. Contra-indication to participation in post-operative exercise program including severe orthopedic injury limiting mobility, wheelchair dependency, neurological disorder impacting mobility, reliance on supplemental oxygen for daily activity, etc.
  5. Pending a medical evaluation board, discharge from the military for medical reasons, or pending or undergoing any litigation for an injury

Sites / Locations

  • Tripler Army Medical Center
  • Brooke Army Medical CenterRecruiting
  • Madigan Army Medical Center

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Active Comparator

Active Comparator

Arm Label

Standard Care (SC)

Enriched Surgical Management Pathway (EMP)

Arm Description

Standard Post-Surgical Care utilizing opioids.

Enriched Surgical Management Pathway utilizing Physical Therapy and Mindfulness in addition to Standard Protocol.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Pain, Enjoyment, and General Activity Scale (PEG-3)
The PEG-3 measure includes 3 items evaluating 1) pain severity, and interference of pain with 2) enjoyment and 3) general activity. Response options for each item range from 0-10 with higher scores indicating higher pain intensity. The PEG-3 score is expressed as the mean of all item scores.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Time to Discontinuation of Opioids After Surgery
The length of time (recorded in days) until a patient discontinues pain medications after surgery.

Full Information

First Posted
February 22, 2021
Last Updated
April 18, 2023
Sponsor
Dan Rhon
Collaborators
University of Utah, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tripler Army Medical Center, 59th Medical Wing, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Brooke Army Medical Center
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT04770480
Brief Title
Non-pharmacological Treatment for Pain After Spine Surgery
Official Title
Exploring Non-pharmacological Approaches to Pain Management After Lumbar Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
April 2023
Overall Recruitment Status
Recruiting
Study Start Date
December 10, 2021 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
October 1, 2024 (Anticipated)
Study Completion Date
December 1, 2024 (Anticipated)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor-Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
Dan Rhon
Collaborators
University of Utah, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tripler Army Medical Center, 59th Medical Wing, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Brooke Army Medical Center

4. Oversight

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Data Monitoring Committee
Yes

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
This study will compare the effectiveness of two pain management pathways (standard vs. enriched) for patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery in the Military Health System (MHS). Effectiveness will be based on post-surgery patient-centered outcomes and extent of opioid use. The study design is a 2-arm, parallel group, individual-randomized trial.
Detailed Description
The relevance of our model is supported by evidence that pain catastrophizing, self-efficacy and hypervigilance predict poor surgical outcomes and long-term opioid use. Surgery can exacerbate catastrophic thinking, especially if patients have unrealistic recovery expectations that go unmet. Physical therapy (PT) can improve chronic LBP (low back pain) outcomes, with effects mediated through changes in pain catastrophizing and self-efficacy. Mindfulness techniques help patients disentangle an experience (e.g., pain) from associated emotions and appraisals. Mindfulness can enhance emotion regulation and raise un-conscious behavioral responses (e.g., opioid use) to conscious consideration. The benefits of mindfulness for chronic pain are mediated by changes in hypervigilance and self-efficacy. Physical therapy and mindfulness can disrupt the self-reinforcing cycle of pain, catastrophic appraisal and unconscious behavioral response including opioid use. Our project examines an innovative strategy to integrate mindfulness and PT into an enriched surgical management pathway for individuals undergoing lumbar spine surgery. Patients at 3 different military hospitals will be randomized prior to surgery to two different treatment groups and followed for a period of 6 months, including the post-operative intervention phase.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Low Back Pain, Chronic Pain, Surgery, Back Pain, Low, Back Pain Lower Back Chronic
Keywords
chronic pain, low back pain, spine surgery, non-pharmacological treatment, mindfulness, physical therapy

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Model Description
Primary Outcome: The primary analysis will be performed by fitting a longitudinal linear model to the PEG scores at baseline, 2 weeks and 26 weeks. Secondary Outcome: Kaplan Meier curves with 95% pointwise confidence limits will be constructed to summarize the time to opioid discontinuation in each of the EPM and SC treatment groups. Time to opioid discontinuation will be compared between groups using a stratified log-rank test, with stratification for three randomization stratification factors.
Masking
InvestigatorOutcomes Assessor
Masking Description
Study participants and clinicians cannot be blinded to study treatments. Randomization assignment will not be revealed until after enrollment and completion of baseline assessments. Study statisticians cannot be blinded to participants' study treatment assignments because they must complete Data Safety Monitoring Reports and analyze the study outcomes by treatment group. Study investigators will remain blinded to participants' treatment group assignment. Follow-up assessments will be performed by a research assistant who will be blinded to participants' treatment group assignment.
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
272 (Anticipated)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Standard Care (SC)
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Standard Post-Surgical Care utilizing opioids.
Arm Title
Enriched Surgical Management Pathway (EMP)
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Enriched Surgical Management Pathway utilizing Physical Therapy and Mindfulness in addition to Standard Protocol.
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Standard Care (SC)
Intervention Description
No attempt will be made to change usual care practice after surgery
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Enriched Pain Management Pathway (EPM)
Intervention Description
Enriched Pain Management Pathway will be delivered by physical therapists trained to integrate physical therapy and mindfulness techniques grounded in a biopsychosocial context. The intervention will be delivered within the context of the post-operative physical therapy routine (the mindfulness approach will be integrated into the post-operative physical therapy care).
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Pain, Enjoyment, and General Activity Scale (PEG-3)
Description
The PEG-3 measure includes 3 items evaluating 1) pain severity, and interference of pain with 2) enjoyment and 3) general activity. Response options for each item range from 0-10 with higher scores indicating higher pain intensity. The PEG-3 score is expressed as the mean of all item scores.
Time Frame
6 Months
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Time to Discontinuation of Opioids After Surgery
Description
The length of time (recorded in days) until a patient discontinues pain medications after surgery.
Time Frame
6 Months
Other Pre-specified Outcome Measures:
Title
Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-29 version 2.0
Description
The PROMIS-29 measures 7 domains of health-related quality of life (pain interference, physical function, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and ability to participate in social roles) using 4 items and includes a single 0-10 numeric pain intensity rating scale. Scores are provided as T-scores for all domains and can be used to compute a mental and physical health summary score
Time Frame
6 months

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
75 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Tricare beneficiary receiving care in a participating MHS facility. Age 18 - 75 years at the time of enrollment Scheduled to undergo lumbar spine surgery within the next 60 days. Surgery may be laminectomy with or without fusions including lateral, transforaminal, posterior or anterior approach for 1-4 lumbar levels. Surgery may be performed in military or civilian facility Indication for surgery may include disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, lumbar stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis or scoliosis. Anticipates ability to attend treatment sessions over a 16 week period following the surgical procedure with no planned absence of 2 weeks or more for training, vacation or any purpose Exclusion Criteria: Indication for surgery is infection, fracture, tumor, trauma or other indication requiring emergency surgery. A microsurgical technique as the primary procedure, such as an isolated laminotomy or microdiscectomy Surgical procedure is a revision or participant has undergone a lumbar surgical procedure in the past year. Contra-indication to participation in post-operative exercise program including severe orthopedic injury limiting mobility, wheelchair dependency, neurological disorder impacting mobility, reliance on supplemental oxygen for daily activity, etc. Pending a medical evaluation board, discharge from the military for medical reasons, or pending or undergoing any litigation for an injury
Central Contact Person:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Mary Laugesen, DPT
Phone
(210)-808-2575
Email
mary.c.laugesen.ctr@mail.mil
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Julie M Fritz, PhD
Organizational Affiliation
University of Utah
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Daniel I Rhon, DSc
Organizational Affiliation
Brooke Army Medical Center
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Tripler Army Medical Center
City
Honolulu
State/Province
Hawaii
ZIP/Postal Code
96859
Country
United States
Individual Site Status
Not yet recruiting
Facility Contact:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Paola Olvera-Munoz
Phone
808-433-3561
Email
molvera@genevausa.org
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Matthew Cage, MD
Facility Name
Brooke Army Medical Center
City
San Antonio
State/Province
Texas
ZIP/Postal Code
78234
Country
United States
Individual Site Status
Recruiting
Facility Contact:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Mary Laugesen, DPT
Phone
210-916-3303
Email
mary.c.laugesen.ctr@mail.mil
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Rich Hurley, MD
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Bryan Pickens, DPT, DSc
Facility Name
Madigan Army Medical Center
City
Tacoma
State/Province
Washington
ZIP/Postal Code
98391
Country
United States
Individual Site Status
Not yet recruiting
Facility Contact:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Rachel J Mayhew, DPT
Email
rachel.J.mayhew.ctr@mail.mil
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Lisa Konitzer, DSc
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Dan Kang, MD

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD
Yes
IPD Sharing Plan Description
Trial data from this trial will be entered into the National Institutes of Health Help End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL)Back Pain Consortium (BACPAC) data repository and coordinating center.
IPD Sharing Time Frame
Within 6 months of completion of all trial activities.
IPD Sharing Access Criteria
Requests to use data from the BACPAC data repository need to go through that organization. Otherwise, reasonable requests will be considered as long as all data sharing agreement (DSA) stipulations from the US Defense Health Agency have been met. More about filling out and submitting DSAs can be found at https://www.health.mil/
IPD Sharing URL
https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Privacy-and-Civil-Liberties/Submit-a-Data-Sharing-Application
Citations:
PubMed Identifier
29521813
Citation
Deyo RA, Hallvik SE, Hildebran C, Marino M, O'Kane N, Carson J, Van Otterloo J, Wright DA, Millet LM, Wakeland W. Use of prescription opioids before and after an operation for chronic pain (lumbar fusion surgery). Pain. 2018 Jun;159(6):1147-1154. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001202.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
17119140
Citation
Weinstein JN, Tosteson TD, Lurie JD, Tosteson AN, Hanscom B, Skinner JS, Abdu WA, Hilibrand AS, Boden SD, Deyo RA. Surgical vs nonoperative treatment for lumbar disk herniation: the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT): a randomized trial. JAMA. 2006 Nov 22;296(20):2441-50. doi: 10.1001/jama.296.20.2441.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
30130023
Citation
Ong KL, Stoner KE, Yun BM, Lau E, Edidin AA. Baseline and postfusion opioid burden for patients with low back pain. Am J Manag Care. 2018 Aug 1;24(8):e234-e240.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
17218132
Citation
Woby SR, Urmston M, Watson PJ. Self-efficacy mediates the relation between pain-related fear and outcome in chronic low back pain patients. Eur J Pain. 2007 Oct;11(7):711-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2006.10.009. Epub 2007 Jan 10.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
27993558
Citation
Morasco BJ, Yarborough BJ, Smith NX, Dobscha SK, Deyo RA, Perrin NA, Green CA. Higher Prescription Opioid Dose is Associated With Worse Patient-Reported Pain Outcomes and More Health Care Utilization. J Pain. 2017 Apr;18(4):437-445. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2016.12.004. Epub 2016 Dec 18.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
26461996
Citation
Fritz JM, Magel JS, McFadden M, Asche C, Thackeray A, Meier W, Brennan G. Early Physical Therapy vs Usual Care in Patients With Recent-Onset Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2015 Oct 13;314(14):1459-67. doi: 10.1001/jama.2015.11648.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
29489568
Citation
Rhon DI, Miller RB, Fritz JM. Effectiveness and Downstream Healthcare Utilization for Patients That Received Early Physical Therapy Versus Usual Care for Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2018 Oct 1;43(19):1313-1321. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000002619.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
32569762
Citation
Lo YT, Lim-Watson M, Seo Y, Fluetsch N, Alasmari MM, Alsheikh MY, Lamba N, Smith TR, Aglio LS, Mekary RA. Long-Term Opioid Prescriptions After Spine Surgery: A Meta-Analysis of Prevalence and Risk Factors. World Neurosurg. 2020 Sep;141:e894-e920. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.06.081. Epub 2020 Jun 19.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
32202000
Citation
Siglin J, Sorkin JD, Namiranian K. Incidence of Postoperative Opioid Overdose and New Diagnosis of Opioid Use Disorder Among US Veterans. Am J Addict. 2020 Jul;29(4):295-304. doi: 10.1111/ajad.13022. Epub 2020 Mar 22.
Results Reference
background
PubMed Identifier
29870441
Citation
Schoenfeld AJ, Belmont PJ Jr, Blucher JA, Jiang W, Chaudhary MA, Koehlmoos T, Kang JD, Haider AH. Sustained Preoperative Opioid Use Is a Predictor of Continued Use Following Spine Surgery. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2018 Jun 6;100(11):914-921. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.17.00862.
Results Reference
background
Links:
URL
https://heal.nih.gov/research/clinical-research/back-pain
Description
HEAL BACPAC

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Non-pharmacological Treatment for Pain After Spine Surgery

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