Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32126991›Full record

SynthesisBMC musculoskeletal disorders2020

A systematic review of the role of inflammatory biomarkers in acute, subacute and chronic non-specific low back pain.

Patrick Morris, Kareem Ali, Mackenzie Merritt, Joey Pelletier, Luciana G Macedo

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07098741 (Comparative Analysis of Different Physiotherapy Interventions on Anterior Pelvic Tilt in Subjects With Non-Specific Low Back Pain), which is not on this map. Cited by 77 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
77citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
9.8field-weighted citation impact, top 1% 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.

NCT07098741 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Comparative Analysis of Different Physiotherapy Interventions on Anterior Pelvic Tilt in Subjects With Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorNational Orthopedic and General HospitalRan2025 to 2025Enrolled100ConditionsAnterior Pelvic Tilt, Low Back PainArmsCore stability exercises with electrotherapy, Soft tissue release with manual therapy and stretching, Postural correction exercises with contrast therapy, combination of electrotherapy with stretching and flexibility exercises
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

77 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 130 citations in OpenAlex.

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17 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Patrick MorrisMcMaster University, 1144 Main St. W. Rooom 441, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Kareem AliMcMaster University, 1144 Main St. W. Rooom 441, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Mackenzie MerrittMcMaster University, 1144 Main St. W. Rooom 441, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Joey PelletierMcMaster University, 1144 Main St. W. Rooom 441, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Luciana G MacedoMcMaster University, 1144 Main St. W. Rooom 441, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. macedol@mcmaster.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1840-2951
McMaster University · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLow back pain (LBP) is one of the greatest contributors to disability in the world and there is growing interest on the role of biomarkers in LBP. To purpose of this review was to analyze available evidence on the relationship between inflammatory biomarkers, clinical presentation, and outcomes in patients with acute, subacute and chronic non-specific low back pain (NSLBP).

methodsA search was performed in Medline, Embase, Cinahl and Amed databases. Studies which measured levels of inflammatory biomarkers in participants with NSLBP were included. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, full-texts, and extracted data from included studies. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Level of evidence was assessed using the modified GRADE approach for prognostic studies.

resultsSeven primary studies were included in this review. All results assessed using the modified GRADE demonstrated low to very low quality evidence given the small number of studies and small sample. Three studies examined C-reactive protein (CRP), one of which found significantly higher CRP levels in an acute NSLBP group than in controls and an association between high pain intensity and elevated CRP. Three studies examined tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), two of which found elevated TNF-α in chronic NSLBP participants compared to controls. Two studies examined interleukin 6 (IL-6), none of which found a significant difference in IL-6 levels between NSLBP groups and controls. Two studies examined interleukin 1 beta (IL-β), none of which found a significant difference in IL-β levels between NSLBP groups and controls.

conclusionsThis review found evidence of elevated CRP in individuals with acute NSLBP and elevated TNF-Α in individuals with chronic NSLBP. There are a limited number of high-quality studies evaluating similar patient groups and similar biomarkers, which limits the conclusion of this review.

Indexed as

Acute PainBiomarkersChronic PainHumansInflammation MediatorsLow Back PainBiomarkersInflammation MediatorsCentral sensitizationCRPIL-1βIL-6Inflammatory biomarkersNon-specific low back painSystematic reviewTNF-α

Identifiers

PMID32126991
PMCPMC7055034
OpenAlexW3011403483

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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.