Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42813137›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association2026

Effectiveness of chiropractic care for low back pain: protocol for an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Andrea J Darzi, Peter C Emary, Behnam Sadeghirad, Rana Charide, Samer G Karam, Dana Alameddine, Sophia Mangala, Rachel J Couban, Marc-André Blanchette, André Bussières and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 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

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

14 authors.

Andrea J DarziDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
Peter C EmaryMichael G. DeGroote National Pain Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
Behnam SadeghiradDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
Rana CharideDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
Samer G KaramDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
Dana AlameddineDivision of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Sophia MangalaMichael G. DeGroote National Pain Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
Rachel J CoubanMichael G. DeGroote National Pain Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
Marc-André BlanchetteDépartement des sciences de la santé, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Rouyn-Noranda, Québec.
André BussièresDépartement chiropratique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec.
Anthony J LisiDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Steven PassmoreFaculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Christine GoertzDuke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Jason W BusseDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A 2016 review of randomized trials found that chiropractic care was as effective as physiotherapy for low back pain and was unable to establish the effectiveness of chiropractic care vs. exercise therapy or medical care; however, this review had several methodological limitations. We will conduct an updated systematic review to address these limitations and determine the effectiveness of chiropractic care compared to other usual care approaches for adults with non-specific low back pain. We will search for eligible trials indexed in MEDLINE, AMED, Embase, CINAHL, the Index to Chiropractic Literature, and the Cochrane Library from January 1, 2016 through August 31, 2026. Pairs of independent reviewers will conduct study selection, data abstraction, and risk-of-bias assessment. We will conduct meta-analyses using random-effects models and assess the certainty of evidence of all outcomes with the GRADE approach. Our results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations.

Indexed as

chiropractic careeffectivenesslow back painsystematic review

Identifiers

PMID42813137
PMCPMC13623047

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.