Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31888948›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2019

Is there a causal relationship between acute stage sensorimotor cortex activity and the development of chronic low back pain? a protocol and statistical analysis plan.

Luke Jenkins, Wei-Ju Chang, Valentina Buscemi, Chelsea Cunningham, Aidan Cashin, James H McAuley, Matthew Liston, Siobhan M Schabrun

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. 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

8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Luke JenkinsSchool of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
Wei-Ju ChangSchool of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
Valentina BuscemiSchool of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
Chelsea CunninghamNeuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
Aidan CashinNeuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
James H McAuleyNeuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
Matthew ListonSchool of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
Siobhan M SchabrunNeuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Randwick, New South Wales, Australia s.schabrun@neura.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0002-9083-3107
Western Sydney University · AUNeuroscience Research Australia · AUUNSW Sydney · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionWhy some people develop chronic pain following an acute episode of low back pain is unknown. Recent cross-sectional studies have suggested a relationship between aberrant sensorimotor cortex activity and pain persistence. The UPWaRD (Understanding persistent Pain Where it ResiDes) cohort study is the first prospective, longitudinal investigation of sensorimotor cortex activity in low back pain. This paper describes the development of a causal model and statistical analysis plan for investigating the causal effect of sensorimotor cortex activity on the development of chronic low back pain. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Sensorimotor cortex activity was assessed within 6 weeks of low back pain onset using somatosensory evoked potentials and transcranial magnetic stimulation mapping techniques. Chronic low back pain is defined as ongoing pain (Numerical Rating score ≥1) or disability (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire score ≥3) at 6 months follow-up. Variables that could confound the relationship between sensorimotor cortex activity and chronic low back pain were identified using a directed acyclic graph and content expertise was used to specify known causal paths. The statistical model was developed ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained from Western Sydney University Human Research Ethics Committee (H10465) and from Neuroscience Research Australia (SSA: 16/002). Dissemination will occur through presentations at national and international conferences and publications in international peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12619000002189 (retrospectively registered).

Indexed as

Research DesignAcute PainChronic PainHumansLow Back PainModels, StatisticalSensorimotor Cortexaetiologycausal inferenceconfoundingdirected acyclic graphelectroencephalographylow back painmotor cortexsensory cortextranscranial magnetic stimulation

Identifiers

PMID31888948
PMCPMC6937113
OpenAlexW2997249070

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.