The prognostic merit of self-reported triggers of recurrent low back pain: study protocol

This study aims to identify self-reported triggers and trajectories of episodes of recurrent LBP and to examine the prognostic association between different triggers and LBP trajectories.MethodsThis is a longitudinal, multicentre, Australia-wide observational study of patients with recurrent non-specific LBP. Two hundred adults with at least a one-year history of LBP will be recruited from primary care clinics or private practices and followed for a year. Each will receive an SMS every fortnight (26 time-points in total) enquiring the occurrence of a new episode of pain in the past 2 weeks and its intensity. Upon report of a new episode, a telephone interview will be performed to appraise exposure to self-nominated triggers in a period of 24  h preceding the pain. Trajectories will be identified by latent class analysis at the end of the follow-up based on the pain intensity, frequency, and length of episodes. Triggers will be categorised into physical and psychosocial groups. Generalised linear mixed models with logit links will be u sed to explore pain triggers associated with pain trajectories.DiscussionThe completion of this study will provide insight into the patients ’ self-reported triggers of LBP and also their possible prognostic association with different trajectories. Some newly-identified and pre-identified triggers are likely to be found and reported.
Source: Chiropractic and Manual Therapies - Category: Complementary Medicine Source Type: research