Active clinical trials for "Low Back Pain"

Identifying high-risk factors that may lead to shoulder, neck and lower back discomfort and contributing to the primary prevention of disease progression.

It is still unknown the pathogenesis of low back pain and a lot of hypothesis were discussed for a long time. Because non-invasive imaging modalities greatly underestimate the prevalence of epidural pathogenesis an endoscopic examination of the epidural space has been advocated as both a diagnostic and therapeutic modality. It seems that immune-inflammatory factors play a more substantial role in pain status. Myeloscopic investigation have shown how morphological pictures of the epidural area in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) are much more complex and heterogeneous than what can be identified with traditional investigation suggesting a biochemical involvement. Endoscopy of the epidural space (epiduroscopy) is a minimally invasive technique, used to directly visualize pathological features inside of the lumbar spinal canal to locate tissues responsible of eliciting pain and the presence of any pathological structures within the vertebral channel, such as fibrous adherences, inflammatory processes, severe fibrosis and/or stenoses, in order to realize an effective therapeutic approach in a lot of different CLBP status as those due to spinal stenoses or failed back surgery syndrome. To deepen the molecular causes of interindividual variability of epiduroscopy outcomes in terms of decrease of pain, it is useful to analyze the DNA variants encoding IL6 and IL1 cytokines and to relate them with gene expression levels and with the cytokine dosage. By this technique, it is possible to analyze in the biopsy of the epidural tissue the specific expression of the cytokines: there is already evidence that inflammatory factors may be involved in the genesis of LBP. At this regards, it would be really important to compare systemic cytokine levels before the epiduroscopy with those detected immediately post procedure and after one month, to understand if the cytokines could play a key role and be a biomarker of the epiduroscopy outcome. Concerning DNA polymorphisms, it has been demonstrated, in many disease-state meta-analyses, that the IL6 variant rs1800795 affect gene transcription and influences the IL-6 levels. Moreover, interleukin 1 (IL-1) is a major factor controlling the inflammatory response. The IL-1 gene family includes the IL-1α, IL-1β and the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) genes that mediate immune and inflammatory responses. SNPs in IL-1α, IL-1β and IL1Ra modify bone mineral density promoting intervertebral disc disease (IDD). The simultaneous carriage of the IL-1bT3954 and the IL-1Ra A1812 alleles significantly enhances the risk of low back pain (LBP) occurrence, the number of days with pain, and the number of days with limitations in daily activities due to pain. A recent study suggested that methylation status of a single CpG site in the IL6 promoter is related to IL6 messenger RNA levels and that lower methylation contributes to the risk of developing Rheumatoid Arthritis. The investigators will try to identify if it there is a correlation with success of the epiduroscopy approach in terms of freedom from pain with genic expression and cytokine dosage. Finally, the investifators will compare the cytokine gene expression and the DNA methylation status of IL6 promoter in patients with favorable outcome and in no responders, to study the role in gene expression. This study is addressed to detect if the genetic variability might be used in near future in clinical setting, to predict the success of epiduroscopy.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether a training program based on Joba® Core Trainer is effective in reducing pain and improving physical function and quality of life of subjects suffering from Chronic Low Back Pain.

Workers in the various branches of the investigators industrial society can be considered as a group susceptible to risks due to the nature of its activities related to the intense demands of their work units with varying degrees of physical overload. Among the risk factors involved in postural genesis of occupational low back pain is work in uncomfortable positions, such as maintenance of static postures for long periods of time and frequent implementation of flexion, extension and trunk rotation.The association between body instability (lack of postural balance) and back pain is seen with some frequency, especially in working groups.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a frequently applied therapy in chronic pain. Although evidence regarding the effectiveness of TENS in chronic pain is inconclusive many patients continue using TENS on long term in daily practice. An important question is therefore why some patients respond well and others don't at all. In chronic pain evidence for abnormal pain processing (sensitization) has been found in several patients groups. The process of sensitization might influence effectiveness of TENS as the theoretical working mechanism of TENS is based on the modulation of the transmission of nociceptive impulses form peripheral receptors throughout spinal nerve system into the brain. In this study we want to study the effect of TENS on pain transmission, as measured by contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPS), between 'responders' and non-responders' after a two weeks TENS treatment. 'Responders' will be defined as patients with a pain reduction of ≥ 30% on a VAS after a two week treatment period with TENS. Non-responders are patients with a pain reduction < 15%. Objective: a) Is pain reducing effect TENS in responders based on modulation of pain transmission and perception, as measured by CHEPS? b) Is the ability of TENS to modulate pain transmission and perception influenced by abnormal pain processing? Prospective cohort study Patients with chronic non specific pain (duration > 6 months), above 18 year, will be included. Patients are referred from the Pain Clinic of the University Hospital Maastricht (MUMC). Exclusion criteria are: a) pain due to cancer, b) the use of a cardiac pacemaker, c) pregnancy, d) neurological sensory deficits, e) language and/or cognitive inability to complete the health assessment questionnaires f) previous TENS for pain relief. Patients receive a two week treatment period with TENS-treatment, as regular, at home after instruction. The frequency is set at 100 Hz and pulse duration at 250 μ sec. Patients have to use the TENS daily (minimal 4 times a day for 30 minutes). Main study parameters/endpoints are decrease in amplitude of CHEPS in responders versus non-responders.

The purpose of this study is to translate and assess an evidence based educational booklet on low back pain patients beliefs after lumbar discectomy.

The present study is aimed to assess the LTP-like pain amplification in chronic low back pain patients to explore the central and peripheral effect for pain LTP.

The study evaluate paraspinal aerobic metabolism of chronic low back pain patients and healthy people during an original and standardized isokinetic protocol. The aim of this study is to determine a potential alteration of muscular aerobic metabolism in low back pain patients, in order to establish the underlying cause of pain and muscular fatigability characterizing low back pain patients. Then, the aim is to determine if functional rehabilitation program can improve it. the unit of care have access to metabolic adaptations in measuring the muscular oxygenation and the pulmonary oxygen consumption, using near infrared spectroscopy and gas analyser.

Explore the many factors that affect the compliance of home exercise therapy in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain, establish a theoretical model of the factors affecting compliance behavior, in order to guide rehabilitation clinical practice, and improve the compliance of patients with non-specific chronic low back pain to home exercise prescriptions.

This is a prospective observational cohort multinational clinical study. There are no biomarkers to help predict in which patients acute low back pain (LBP) will transform into chronic low back pain (CLBP). Human variability and different common comorbidities complicate the picture and make stratification of patients into correct subgroups difficult. However, drugs act by targeting specific molecular pathways and are therefore efficient only in a subgroup of patients sharing common molecular pathology and common genetics. Both CLBP and disc degeneration are known to be heritable. Little investigation has taken place for genetic variants in CLBP. The main aim of this trial is to identify "omics biomarkers" associated with the transition from acute (single episode of low back pain) to persistent/chronic LBP (pain lasting more than 12 weeks).