Do sensorimotor cortex activity, an individual’s capacity for neuroplasticity, and psychological features during an episode of acute low back pain predict outcome at 6-months: a protocol for a prospective, longitudinal cohort study

euroscience Research Australia0 sites120 target enrollmentJanuary 8, 2019

Overview

No summary available.

Registry

who.int

Start Date

January 8, 2019

End Date

July 25, 2019

Last Updated

6 years ago

Study Type

Observational

Sex

All

Sponsor

euroscience Research Australia

•Eligible participants must be 18 years or older and currently experiencing acute non\-specific low back pain \- defined as pain in the region of the lower back, superiorly bound by the thoracolumbar junction and inferiorly by the gluteal fold. Participants remain eligible if they have pain referred beyond this region that is not suspected radicular pain from neural tissue involvement. Pain must have been present for more than 24 hours and less than 6 weeks duration following a period of at least 1\-month pain\-free. As we aim to determine which variables predict low back pain outcome, regardless of whether this is the first episode of pain, participants need not be experiencing their first low back pain episode. Previous history of low back pain will be included as a candidate predictor in the statistical model. Participants must provide written informed consent to participate and be able to speak and read English.

•Known or suspected serious spinal pathology (fracture; malignancy, inflammatory or infective diseases of the spine; cauda equina syndrome or widespread neurological disorder); suspected or confirmed pregnancy or less than six months’ post\-partum; suspected radicular pain (dominant leg pain, positive neural tissue provocation tests and/or any two of altered strength, reflexes, or sensation for the same nerve root, assessed clinically); previous lumbar spinal surgery (e.g. spinal fusion, intervertebral disc replacement); presence of another painful condition (e.g. fibromyalgia, neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis); comorbidities affecting sensorimotor function or causing neurological deficit (e.g. multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury); history of psychological disorders requiring medication for symptom control (e.g. major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia) and/or contraindications to transcranial magnetic stimulation.