Effects of Lumbar PENS and Exercise in Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain

NCT ID: NCT00101387

Last Updated: 2011-02-18

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

200 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2003-09-30

Study Completion Date

2008-01-31

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to determine whether a form of electrical acupuncture, called percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS), can reduce pain and disability in older adults with chronic low back pain (LBP). This study will also determine the effects of general conditioning and aerobic exercise (GCAE) on chronic LBP.

Detailed Description

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Each year, a significant number of elderly individuals experience at least one episode of LBP. When LBP becomes chronic, it can lead to functional and emotional impairment, increased health care utilization, and decreased quality of life. Standard treatment for LBP typically consists of non-opioid analgesics and physical therapy; however, analgesic-associated morbidity in older adults often limits their utility. This study will determine the efficacy of PENS treatment, a neuroanatomically guided form of electroacupuncture, and exercise in reducing pain in older adults with chronic LBP.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: PENS alone, PENS placebo, PENS plus GCAE, or PENS placebo plus GCAE. The treatments will be given twice weekly for 6 weeks. Pain intensity, physical function, health care utilization, and psychosocial function will be assessed with self-report and performance-based measures. These assessments will be conducted at study start, immediately after the last treatment session, and 6 months after study completion.

Conditions

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Low Back Pain

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Lumbar PENS + exercise

Lumbar PENS twice a week for six weeks combined with general conditioning and aerobic exercise

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Lumbar PENS + General Conditioning and Aerobic Exercise

Intervention Type OTHER

As above

Lumbar PENS

Lumbar PENS twice a week for 6 weeks

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Lumbar PENS

Intervention Type OTHER

As above

Control PENS

Control lumbar PENS twice a week for 6 weeks

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Control Lumbar PENS

Intervention Type OTHER

Identical needle placement as with PENS procedure, but only control needles stimulated for 5 minutes.

Control PENS + exercise

Control PENS twice a week for 6 weeks along with general conditioning and aerobic exercise

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Control PENS + exercise

Intervention Type OTHER

as above

Interventions

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Lumbar PENS + General Conditioning and Aerobic Exercise

As above

Intervention Type OTHER

Lumbar PENS

As above

Intervention Type OTHER

Control Lumbar PENS

Identical needle placement as with PENS procedure, but only control needles stimulated for 5 minutes.

Intervention Type OTHER

Control PENS + exercise

as above

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Low back pain for at least 3 months
* Able to walk without an assistive device (e.g., cane or walker)

Exclusion Criteria

* Serious underlying illness causing back pain
* Nerve root compression
* History of back surgery
* Has pacemaker
* Current use of blood thinners
* Major psychiatric disorder
* Chest pains or heart problems that interfere with daily activity
* Fibromyalgia
Minimum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Pittsburgh

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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University of Pittsburgh

Principal Investigators

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Debra K. Weiner, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Pain Evaluation and Treatment Institute

Other Identifiers

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R01AT000985-01A2

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

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R01AT000985-01A2

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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