Trial reportComputational and mathematical methods in medicine2021
The Effects of Elgucare on Degenerated Intervertebral Disc-Induced Low Back Pain and Disc Regeneration: A Clinical Trial.
Trial report in Computational and mathematical methods in medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It has been retracted, and should not be counted. Cited by 2 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.
- Updated meta‑analysis on the therapeutic effects of botanical extract interventions for chronic lower back pain.Experimental and therapeutic medicine · 2025Article
- Retracted: The Effects of Elgucare on Degenerated Intervertebral Disc-Induced Low Back Pain and Disc Regeneration: A Clinical Trial.Computational and mathematical methods in medicine · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
- Retraction · 2023-11-01Concerns/Issues about Data · Concerns/Issues about Results and/or Conclusions · Concerns/Issues about Referencing/Attributions · Concerns/Issues about Peer Review · Investigation by Journal/Publisher · Investigation by Third Party · Paper Mill · Computer-Aided Content or Computer-Generated Content · Unreliable Results and/or Conclusions ·
- Retracted
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionChronic low back pain (LBP) has a wide range of causes. However, most cases are induced by degeneration of the lumbar intervertebral discs (IVDs), and the aching caused by local compression of the affected region has considerable impacts on quality of life. This clinical trial investigated the use of Elgucare, a Chinese herbal formula, as a food supplement to reduce the pain of patients with LBP induced by degeneration of the lumbar IVDs.
methodsThe study assessed patient subjective quality of life, functional limitations caused by LBP, and variations in pain. The assessment was done through the visual analogue scale (VAS) and effects on lumbar IVD thickness, water content, and bone mineral density (BMD). These parameters were evaluated before and after the administration of Elgucare or a placebo, one of which was taken by each participant for a 12-month period.
resultsElgucare reduced the patients' mean VAS pain score by 2.25 points and improved their mean LBP-hampered mobility as assessed by the Roland-Morris Questionnaire by 5.17 points. The results of another questionnaire indicated that Elgucare slowed the LBP-induced deterioration of patients' quality of life, while objective assessment indices obtained through X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging showed that the height and water retention of their IVDs were increased. However, the BMD results showed no improvements.
conclusionsElgucare can increase the water retention and height of IVDs and reduce LBP, thereby enhancing quality of life. Therefore, Elgucare can potentially be used as a clinical supplement.
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What OpenQuestion holds
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.