Trial reportEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2014
Effect of pulsed radiofrequency in treatment of facet-joint origin back pain in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis.
Trial report in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Current evidence on radiofrequency denervation for chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ open · 2026Pooled it
- Radiofrequency denervation for chronic low back pain.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015Pooled it
- Prospective study on a new combination of pulsed radiofrequency and platelet-rich plasma injections for managing grade I lumbosacral spondylolisthesis.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Radiofrequency vs Steroid Injections for Spinal Facet and Sacroiliac Joint Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of pain research · 2024Review
- Randomized controlled trials between dorsal root ganglion thermal radiofrequency, pulsed radiofrequency and steroids for the management of intractable metastatic back pain in thoracic vertebral body.British journal of pain · 2021Article
- Article
- A comprehensive review of pulsed radiofrequency in the treatment of pain associated with different spinal conditions.The British journal of radiology · 2017Review
- Can facet joint fluid on MRI and dynamic instability be a predictor of improvement in back pain following lumbar fusion for degenerative spondylolisthesis?European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2016Article
- Radiofrequency and Methylprednisolone in Treatment of Lower Back Pain Caused by Facet Joint Syndrome: Comparison of the Outcomes.Asian journal of neurosurgeryArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDegenerative spondylolisthesis is a well-recognized source of low back pain mainly induced by facet joint pain. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) allows heat dissipation, thus producing a temporary injury that affects only type C fibers responsible for pain conduction.
objectivesWe attempted to test whether PRF is a better choice for facet pain due to spondylolisthesis compared to routine steroid injection.
methodsPatients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: group one received pulsed RF, and group 2 received injection by steroids (triamcinolone) and bupivacaine. OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT: Multiple outcome measures were utilized which included the numeric rating scale (NRS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), satisfaction status, and analgesic intake with assessment at 3, 6, and 12 months post-treatment. Significant pain relief was defined as 50% or more, whereas significant improvement in disability score was defined as reduction of 40% or more.
resultsEighty patients were enrolled in the study and were divided into the two groups of study. PRF significantly reduced NRS at 6-month follow-up compared to steroid + bupivacaine. 75.6 ± 14.3% at pre-treatment and 19.3 ± 9.5% at 6 months (p = 0.001) in PRF group. The mean ODI is depicted in two groups of study (Fig. 1). Interestingly, ODI% was significantly lower in PRF group at 12 weeks and 6 months compare to steroid + bupivacaine group (p = 0.022 and 0.03, respectively), but it was not significantly different at 6 weeks (p = 0.31). Proportion of patients who did not require analgesics were significantly higher in PRF group compared to other group (p = 0.001) in Log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test.
conclusionOur results demonstrated that the application of PRF might be more effective than steroid and bupivacaine injection in decreasing back pain due to degenerative facet pain and improvement in function of patients.
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Registered trials
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