Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36932432›Full record

ArticlePilot and feasibility studies2023

Effect of Godelieve Denys-Struyf (GDS) muscle and articulation chain treatment on clinical variables of patients with chronic low back pain and lumbar disc degeneration: a pilot feasibility randomized controlled trial.

Sidsel Lombardo, Gunvor Hilde, Milada Cvancarova Småstuen, Margreth Grotle

Open access · goldFull text read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Pilot and feasibility studies, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 34% 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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. 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

4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Sidsel LombardoPhysiotherapy Department at Vestfold Hospital Trust (VHT), P.O. Box 2168, 3103, Tønsberg, Norway.
Gunvor HildeCenter for Intelligent Musculoskeletal Health, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology, Oslo Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 4, St. Olavs plass, NO-0130, Oslo, Norway.
Milada Cvancarova SmåstuenCenter for Intelligent Musculoskeletal Health, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology, Oslo Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 4, St. Olavs plass, NO-0130, Oslo, Norway.
Margreth GrotleCenter for Intelligent Musculoskeletal Health, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology, Oslo Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 4, St. Olavs plass, NO-0130, Oslo, Norway. mgrotle@oslomet.no.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8243-1143
OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University · NOOslo University Hospital · NOSykehuset i Vestfold · NO

Funding

Sykehuset i Vestfold not relevant
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients with chronic low back pain (LBP) and lumbar disc degeneration are recommended to try out nonsurgical treatment options before surgery. There is need for good nonsurgical alternatives that can be adapted to the patient's needs and level of function. The aim of this pilot trial was to test study feasibility of a future full randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the feasibility and benefit of the physiotherapy-based Godelieve Denys-Struyf (GDS) muscle and articulation chain treatment for patients with chronic LBP and lumbar disc degeneration referred to surgical assessment in a hospital outpatient clinic.

methodsThis study is a single-center, two-arm, single-blinded, pilot RCT conducted in a regional hospital in Norway. Patients of age 35-75 years with chronic (> 3 months) LBP and degenerative lumbar disc(s) verified by imaging were included. They filled in a baseline questionnaire prior to randomization, including the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), numerical rating scale for pain in back and pain in leg, and the EuroQoL 5L. Patients in the control group were free to use treatment as usual. Patients in the intervention group received 8 sessions over a period of 10 to 14 weeks of GDS muscle and articulation chain treatment.

resultsThe recruitment rate was slow, approximately 3/4th of the referred patients met the inclusion criteria, but majority of eligible participants (94%) were willing to participate. A total of 30 patients were randomized into the two groups. The randomization led to skewed distribution of radiating leg pain in the two groups. All participants except one (97%) completed 4 months follow-up. No serious adverse events attributable to the trial treatments were reported. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and leg pain intensity scale were both suitable as primary outcomes in a full trial. The mean change in the ODI score was 8.7 (SD 16.1) points in the GDS arm, whereas there was a minor deterioration in the ODI scores of -3.7 (7.5) points in the control arm. A sample size calculation based on the ODI scores resulted in a number needed to treat of 3.

conclusionsA future full RCT is feasible and would provide evidence about the effectiveness of a GDS treatment for patients with chronic LBP and lumbar disc degeneration.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ID: 910193.

Indexed as

Exercise therapyFeasibility studiesIntervertebral disc degenerationLow back painPhysical therapy modalitiesRandomized controlled trialRehabilitation

Identifiers

PMID36932432
PMCPMC10022086
OpenAlexW4327811819

What OpenQuestion holds

Textfull text, public
LicenceCC BY
measurements read27
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.