ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2019
Decompression alone versus decompression with instrumental fusion the NORDSTEN degenerative spondylolisthesis trial (NORDSTEN-DS); study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02051374 (Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis), which is not on this map. Cited by 11 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.
Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis: Is Only Decompression Good Enough? A Prospective Randomized Clinical Multi- Institutional Trial
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Decompression, decompression plus fusion and decompression plus dynamic stabilization for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis: a network meta-analysis.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025Pooled it
- Decompression alone versus decompression with instrumented fusion in the treatment of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials.Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry · 2023Pooled it
- Surgeon Recommendation and Outcomes of Decompression With vs Without Fusion in Patients With Degenerative Spondylolisthesis.JAMA network open · 2025Trial
- Clinical and MRI findings in lumbar spinal stenosis: baseline data from the NORDSTEN study.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 · 2022Trial
- Radiographic phenotype-driven clustering in lumbar decompression: comparative study of outcome and reoperation risk.The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society · 2026Article
- Efficacy and Safety of Unilateral Interlaminar Endoscopic Decompression for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Retrospective Study of 176 Cases With a 3-6 Year Follow-Up.Orthopaedic surgery · 2025Article
- Decompression alone or with fusion for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (Nordsten-DS): five year follow-up of a randomised, multicentre, non-inferiority trial.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2024Article
- The Norwegian degenerative spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis (NORDSTEN) study: study overview, organization structure and study population.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 · 2023Article
- Is Repeated Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Necessary Before Planned Decompressive Surgery for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?International journal of spine surgery · 2023Article
- Increased sagittal diameter of the vertebral arch aids in diagnosis of lumbar spondylolysis.Skeletal radiology · 2021Article
- Comparative Effectiveness of Microdecompression Alone vs Decompression Plus Instrumented Fusion in Lumbar Degenerative Spondylolisthesis.JAMA network open · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFusion in addition to decompression has become the standard treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS). The evidence for performing fusion among these patients is conflicting and there is a need for further investigation through studies of high quality. The present protocol describes an ongoing study with the primary aim of comparing the outcome between decompression alone and decompression with instrumented fusion. The secondary aim is to investigate whether predictors can be used to choose the best treatment for an individual. The trial, named the NORDSTEN-DS trial, is one of three studies in the Norwegian Degenerative Spinal Stenosis (NORDSTEN) study.
methodsThe NORDSTEN-DS trial is a block-randomized, controlled, multicenter, non-inferiority study with two parallel groups. The surgeons at the 15 participating hospitals decide whether a patient is eligible or not according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Participating patients are randomized to either a midline preserving decompression or a decompression followed by an instrumental fusion. Primary endpoint is the percentage of patients with an improvement in Oswestry Disability Index version 2.0 of more than 30% from baseline to 2-year follow-up. Secondary outcome measurements are the Zürich Claudication Questionnaire, Numeric Rating Scale for back and leg pain, Euroqol 5 dimensions questionnaire, Global perceived effect scale, complications and several radiological parameters. Analysis and interpretation of results will also be conducted after 5 and 10 years.
conclusionThe NORDSTEN/DS trial has the potential to provide Level 1 evidence of whether decompression alone should be advocated as the preferred method or not. Further on the study will investigate whether predictors exist and if they can be used to make the appropriate choice for surgical treatment for this patient group.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02051374 . First Posted: January 31, 2014. Last Update Posted: February 14, 2018.
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