Published in:
Open Access
22-11-2023
Systematic Review to Inform a World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Practice Guideline: Benefits and Harms of Structured and Standardized Education or Advice for Chronic Primary low back pain in Adults
Authors:
Danielle Southerst, Cesar A. Hincapié, Hainan Yu, Leslie Verville, André Bussières, Douglas P. Gross, Paulo Pereira, Silvano Mior, Andrea C. Tricco, Christine Cedraschi, Ginny Brunton, Margareta Nordin, Jessica J. Wong, Gaelan Connell, Heather M. Shearer, Astrid DeSouza, Javier Muñoz Laguna, Joyce G. B. Lee, Daphne To, Rahim Lalji, Kent Stuber, Martha Funabashi, Léonie Hofstetter, Danny Myrtos, Andrew Romanelli, Brett Guist, James J. Young, Sophia da Silva-Oolup, Maja Stupar, Dan Wang, Kent Murnaghan, Carol Cancelliere
Published in:
Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation
|
Issue 4/2023
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Abstract
Purpose
Evaluate benefits and harms of education/advice for chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) in adults to inform a World Health Organization (WHO) standard clinical guideline.
Methods
Electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing education/advice compared with placebo/sham, usual care, or no intervention (including comparison interventions where the attributable effect of education/advice could be isolated). We conducted meta-analyses and graded the certainty of evidence.
Results
We screened 2514 citations and 86 full text RCTs and included 15 RCTs. Most outcomes were assessed 3 to 6 months post-intervention. Compared with no intervention, education/advice improved pain (10 RCTs, MD = -1.1, 95% CI -1.63 to -0.56), function (10 RCTs, SMD = -0.51, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.12), physical health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (2 RCTs, MD = 24.27, 95% CI 12.93 to 35.61), fear avoidance (5 RCTs, SMD = -1.4, 95% CI -2.51 to -0.29), depression (1 RCT; MD = 2.10, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.15), and self-efficacy (1 RCT; MD = 4.4, 95% CI 2.77 to 6.03). Education/advice conferred less benefit than sham Kinesio taping for improving fear avoidance regarding physical activity (1 RCT, MD = 5.41, 95% CI 0.28 to 10.54). Compared with usual care, education/advice improved pain (1 RCT, MD = -2.10, 95% CI -3.13 to -1.07) and function (1 RCT, MD = -7.80, 95% CI -14.28 to -1.32). There was little or no difference between education/advice and comparisons for other outcomes. For all outcomes, the certainty of evidence was very low.
Conclusion
Education/advice in adults with CPLBP was associated with improvements in pain, function, HRQoL, and psychological outcomes, but with very low certainty.