Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42238413›Full record

ArticlemedRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences2026

Impact of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on Chronic Low Back Pain in Patients with Obesity: A Prospective Pilot Cohort Study.

Braeden Benedict, Dyan White-Gilliam, Aryan Pradhan, Salim Yakdan, Ahmad Hammo, Lucas Budd, Faraz Arkam, Simon Y Tang, Kenneth B Schechtman, Abby L Cheng and 3 more

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Braeden BenedictDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7392-6969
Dyan White-GilliamDepartment of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Aryan PradhanDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Salim YakdanDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Ahmad HammoDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Lucas BuddDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Faraz ArkamDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Simon Y TangDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Kenneth B SchechtmanDivision of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Abby L ChengDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Susan Robinson ReedsDepartment of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Burel R GoodinDepartment of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Jacob K GreenbergDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2675-5658

Funding

WU P&FP30DK020579 · NIDDK · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI David W Piston · 2013 to 2026
$27.1M
TRANSGENICS COREP60DK020579 · NIDDK · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI SCHAFFER, JEAN E. · 1986 to 2012
$25.2M
Acquisition of a Single Molecule Counting Platform for Use in Quantifying Low Abundance Signaling MoleculesS10OD027006 · OD · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI POWERS CARSON, JENNIFER LYNN · 2019 to 2019
$95k
NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK020579NIDDK NIH HHS P60 DK020579NIH HHS S10 OD027006
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate whether glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are associated with improvements in pain severity, disability, quality of life, and physical function in adults with obesity and chronic low back pain (cLBP), and to explore potential mechanisms. Design: Prospective, single-arm cohort study. Subjects: Thirty-five adults (median age 41 years; 86% women) with obesity (median BMI 39.9 kg/m Methods: Participants completed questionnaires at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The primary outcome was Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) pain severity. Secondary outcomes included body mass index (BMI), BPI-SF pain interference, Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) back pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Short Form-12 (SF-12). At baseline and 6 months, a subset (n=24) underwent quantitative sensory testing, physical performance testing, and blood draws for inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10), adipokines (leptin, adiponectin), and hemoglobin A1c. Results: Over 12 months, BMI decreased by 12.5% (median 39.9 to 34.9 kg/m Conclusions: GLP-1 RAs were associated with clinically meaningful improvements in pain, disability, and quality of life. These findings suggest GLP-1 RAs may be a promising nonsurgical therapy for cLBP; randomized controlled trials are needed to establish causality and mechanisms.

Indexed as

back painChronic low back painGLP-1 receptor agonistsinflammationobesityweight loss

Identifiers

PMID42238413
PMCPMC13228689

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.