Evidence map›Paper›PMID 20145756›Full record

ArticlePhysiotherapy Canada. Physiotherapie Canada2008

Pain profiles and psychosocial distress symptoms in workers with low back pain.

Nomusa Mngoma, Marc Corbière, Joan Stevenson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Physiotherapy Canada. Physiotherapie Canada, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Nomusa MngomaNomusa Mngoma, PT, PhD: Providence Care, Kingston, Ontario.
Marc Corbière
Joan Stevenson

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe current study investigated the pain profiles of patients with subacute non-specific low back pain attending an outpatient return-to-work rehabilitation programme. Differences in symptoms of distress (depression and anxiety) and return to work between the pain-profile groups were assessed.

methodsSixty-five volunteers who met the eligibility criteria and had complete follow-up data were included in the analysis. The mean age was 38.8 years (minimum 18, maximum 64); 38 (58.5%) were men. The median time since onset of low back pain was 30 days. Cluster analysis was used to categorize patients into groups according to pain severity scores (VAS).

resultsTwo distinct clusters-severe pain and moderate pain-emerged. There were significant differences in depressive and anxiety symptoms between the pain profiles. Further, return-to-work rates varied significantly between the two groups (31% in the severe pain cluster compared to 90% in the moderate pain cluster).

conclusionAlthough both groups showed significant improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms over time, the severe pain cluster scored higher at discharge (higher scores indicating worse outcomes). These results highlight the importance of early identification of sub-groups at risk so that rehabilitation interventions can be focused with the goal of minimizing long-term disability.

Indexed as

anxietyback paindepressionpsychosocial distressreturn to work

Identifiers

PMID20145756
PMCPMC2792774

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.