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The efficacy of conventional radiofrequency denervation in patients with chronic low back pain originating from the facet joints: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
The Spine Journal
Chung CK, et al.
This meta–analysis was conducted to clarify the efficacy of conventional radiofrequency denervation in patients with chronic low back pain originating from the facet joints relative to those obtained using control treatments, with particular attention to consistency in the denervation protocol. When compared with sham procedures or epidural nerve blocks, conventional radiofrequency denervation resulted in significant reductions in low back pain originating from the facet joints in patients showing the best response to diagnostic block over the first 12 months.
Methods
• PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database were searched for randomized controlled trials regarding radiofrequency denervation and control treatments for back pain.
•The authors compared changes in visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores of the radiofrequency group with those of the control group as well as the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for back pain VAS.
•They developed meta-regression model to assess the effect of radiofrequency treatment according to responses of the diagnostic block while controlling for other variables.
•Then using random-effects models, they calculated mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
•Data was included from 7 trials involving 454 patients who had undergone radiofrequency denervation (231 patients) and control treatments such as sham or epidural block procedures (223 patients).
•When compared with the control group for 1-year follow-up, the radiofrequency group exhibited significantly greater improvements in back pain score.
•The lower limit of the 95% CI encompassed the MCID although the average improvement in VAS scores exceeded the MCID.
•At all times, a subgroup of patients who responded very well to diagnostic block procedures revealed significant improvements in back pain relative to the control group.
•The response to diagnostic block procedure was responsible for a statistically significant portion of treatment effect when placed into the meta-regression model.
•Studies published over the last 2 decades demonstrated that in patients with facet joint disease, radiofrequency denervation reduced back pain significantly compared with the MCID and control treatments.
The efficacy of conventional radiofrequency denervation in patients with chronic low back pain originating from the facet joints: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
The Spine Journal
Chung CK, et al.
This meta–analysis was conducted to clarify the efficacy of conventional radiofrequency denervation in patients with chronic low back pain originating from the facet joints relative to those obtained using control treatments, with particular attention to consistency in the denervation protocol. When compared with sham procedures or epidural nerve blocks, conventional radiofrequency denervation resulted in significant reductions in low back pain originating from the facet joints in patients showing the best response to diagnostic block over the first 12 months.
Methods
• PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database were searched for randomized controlled trials regarding radiofrequency denervation and control treatments for back pain.
•The authors compared changes in visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores of the radiofrequency group with those of the control group as well as the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for back pain VAS.
•They developed meta-regression model to assess the effect of radiofrequency treatment according to responses of the diagnostic block while controlling for other variables.
•Then using random-effects models, they calculated mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
•Data was included from 7 trials involving 454 patients who had undergone radiofrequency denervation (231 patients) and control treatments such as sham or epidural block procedures (223 patients).
•When compared with the control group for 1-year follow-up, the radiofrequency group exhibited significantly greater improvements in back pain score.
•The lower limit of the 95% CI encompassed the MCID although the average improvement in VAS scores exceeded the MCID.
•At all times, a subgroup of patients who responded very well to diagnostic block procedures revealed significant improvements in back pain relative to the control group.
•The response to diagnostic block procedure was responsible for a statistically significant portion of treatment effect when placed into the meta-regression model.
•Studies published over the last 2 decades demonstrated that in patients with facet joint disease, radiofrequency denervation reduced back pain significantly compared with the MCID and control treatments.
