Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27510567›Full record

Trial reportEuropean journal of pain (London, England)2017

Prediction of response to tapentadol in chronic low back pain.

M Reimer, P Hüllemann, M Hukauf, T Keller, A Binder, J Gierthmühlen, R Baron

Abstract readClinical Trial, Phase III
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in European journal of pain (London, England), 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed
–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

13 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Development and application of predictive clinical biomarkers for low back pain care: recommendations from the ISSLS phenotype/precision spine focus group.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 · 2025
    Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Precision Medicine in Neuropathic Pain.Handbook of experimental pharmacology · 2023
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien · 2018
    Article
  12. Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien · 2018
    Article
  13. 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

7 authors.

M ReimerDivision of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
P HüllemannDivision of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
M HukaufStatConsult GmbH, Magdeburg, Germany.
T KellerStatConsult GmbH, Magdeburg, Germany.
A BinderDivision of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
J GierthmühlenDivision of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
R BaronDivision of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMany chronic low back pain (cLBP) patients do not satisfactorily respond to treatment. The knowledge of responders and non-responders before initiating treatment would improve decision making and reduce health care costs. The aims of this exploratory prediction study in cLBP patients treated with tapentadol were to identify predictors of treatment outcome based on baseline characteristics, to evaluate quality-of-life and functionality as alternative outcome parameters and to develop nomograms to calculate the individual probability of response.

methodsIn a retrospective analysis of an open-label phase 3b trial, 46 baseline characteristics were included into statistical prediction modelling. One hundred and twenty-one patients were followed up during the titration and treatment period and 67 patients were analysed who discontinued the trial.

resultsDemographic data were not relevant for response prediction. Nine baseline co-variables were robust: painDETECT score, intensity of burning and painful attacks, SF36 Health Survey score (MCS, PCS), EuroQol-5, Hospital Anxiety/Depression Scale. Gender had a minor influence. Alternative outcomes (quality-of-life, functionality) were more important for response prediction than conventional pain intensity measures. Neuropathic symptoms (high painDETECT score) had a positive predictive validity. Painful attacks and classical yellow flags (depression, anxiety) negatively influenced the treatment response. High depression scores, female gender and low burning predicted discontinuation during titration.

conclusionIn this exploratory study, predictive baseline characteristics have been identified that can be used to calculate the individual probability of tapentadol response in cLBP. The small sample size in relation to the number of initial variables is a limitation of this approach. SIGNIFICANCE: Predictors for treatment response of tapentadol were identified in patients with chronic low back pain based on clinical pre-treatment characteristics that can guide personalized treatment. Quality-of-life and functionality were the most relevant outcomes for response prediction.

Indexed as

AdultAgedChronic PainDelayed-Action PreparationsFemaleHumansLow Back PainMaleMiddle AgedPhenolsRetrospective StudiesTapentadolTreatment OutcomeDelayed-Action PreparationsPhenolsTapentadol

Identifiers

PMID27510567
PMCPMC5248647

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.