SynthesisFrontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland)2025
Health service utilization for low back pain in Germany between 2000 and 2020-a scoping review of claims data.
Synthesis in Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- [Medical malpractice in gluteal NSAID injection-ineffective informed consent].Orthopadie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Low back pain (LBP) uses a large proportion of health care resources. Data are needed for health care planning, measuring adherence to guidelines for quality assurance, and assessing overuse and underuse of health care services. The aim of this review is to summarize claims data and describe trends in health care utilization for LBP for the years 2000 to 2020. Methods: This scoping review summarizes studies and health reports using claims data of people aged ≥15 years covered by a statutory health insurance in Germany for the period 2000 to 2020. We searched publications in PubMed, EMBASE and Google. Data on health care services were extracted and trends over the years were summarized. Results: We included data from 76 publications, health reports and online databases. Every year, 25 to 32% of adults in Germany seek care for LBP. Most of the claims data cannot be pooled because of differences in standardization and reporting. However, trends are observable. Magnetic resonance imaging increased to 7.5%, plain radiography decreased to 15%. The number of sick leave days decreased slightly over time. Hospital admissions for LBP, spinal surgery, and opioid use increased. Outpatient rehabilitation increased, but the overall use of rehabilitation services remained relatively stable. Conclusions: Inconsistent reporting standards and fragmentation of German claims data reporting, hinders a comprehensive understanding of health service utilization for low back pain. Despite limitations, current data suggest potential overuse of resources for LBP in Germany, consistently with international data. Given the high proportion of patients consulting for LBP better monitoring of health service utilization is needed to improve quality of care and resource allocation.
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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.