Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34372820›Full record

ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2021

Prediction and trend of tactile acuity, pain and disability in acute LBP: a six-month prospective cohort study.

Rita Morf, Fabian Pfeiffer, Sabina Hotz-Boendermaker, André Meichtry, Hannu Luomajoki

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 20% 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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The clinical course of acute, subacute and persistent low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2024
    Pooled it
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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 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Rita MorfZurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), School of Health Professions, Institute of Physiotherapy, Katharina-Sulzer-Platz 9, Postfach, CH-8401, Winterthur, Switzerland.
Fabian PfeifferZurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), School of Health Professions, Institute of Physiotherapy, Katharina-Sulzer-Platz 9, Postfach, CH-8401, Winterthur, Switzerland.
Sabina Hotz-BoendermakerZurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), School of Health Professions, Institute of Physiotherapy, Katharina-Sulzer-Platz 9, Postfach, CH-8401, Winterthur, Switzerland.
André MeichtryZurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), School of Health Professions, Institute of Physiotherapy, Katharina-Sulzer-Platz 9, Postfach, CH-8401, Winterthur, Switzerland.
Hannu LuomajokiZurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), School of Health Professions, Institute of Physiotherapy, Katharina-Sulzer-Platz 9, Postfach, CH-8401, Winterthur, Switzerland. luom@zhaw.ch.
Sulzer (Switzerland) · CHMedbase · CHWinterthur Museum Garden and Library · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic back pain is known to be associated with altered tactile acuity. Tactile acuity is measured using the Two-Point Discrimination (TPD) test in both clinical and research settings. In subjects with chronic low back pain, the TPD threshold (TPDT) is increased and is associated with persistent pain. It remains unknown, however, whether TPDT is also altered in cases of clinical acute pain, or whether it could be used as a predictor of future pain and disability at an early stage of LBP. The main objective of this study was to investigate the predictive value of baseline TPDT for pain and disability at 3 and 6 months after the onset of acute LBP. The TPDT in acute low back pain (LBP) and the development of TPDT over 6 months has also been assessed.

methodsLBP participants (n = 124) with acute LBP (< 4 weeks) were included. Subjects were examined within 4 weeks of pain onset and followed-up after 3 and 6 months of pain onset. Horizontal and vertical TPDTs of the lower back were collected. Linear mixed models were subsequently used to evaluate the association of TPDT with pain and disability over time.

resultsThe vertical TPDT showed a mean (SD) of 4.9 cm (1.6) and the horizontal TPDT a mean (SD) of 6.0 cm (1.5) at baseline. The vertical TPDT altered from baseline up to 6 months from 4.9 to 4.6 cm and the horizontal TPDT from 6.0 to 5.4 cm. The association between the TPDT and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) after 6 months was moderate. Linear mixed models revealed no association between TPDT, pain and disability over the progression of LBP.

conclusionTPDTs appear to be raised in subjects with acute LBP. However, our study revealed no predictive capability of the TPDT for disability and pain. No comparisons are possible in the absence of similar studies, indicating the need for further research is in this area.

Indexed as

Acute PainLow Back PainDisability EvaluationHumansProspective StudiesDisabilityLBPPainTactile acuity

Identifiers

PMID34372820
PMCPMC8351169
OpenAlexW3121697425

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.