EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF CT-GUIDED EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTIONS AND PHARMACOTHERAPY FOR MANAGING CHRONIC LOW BACK ACHE WITH RADICULOPATHY

Author(s)

Bansal D*1;Purohit V1, Ghai B2 1National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali, India, 2Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, Chandigarh, India

OBJECTIVES: Substantial number of patients with persistent low back pain (LBP) are treated with multimodal spectrum of conservative and invasive therapies. Few have investigated the utility of pharmacotherapy and epidural steroid injections (ESI) in large practice setting. We sought to gather comprehensive data about the characteristics, efficacy, tolerability and quality of life (QoL) of patients with LBP with these therapies. METHODS: Information was collected on a standardized form. Information included patient characteristics, type and duration of therapies, adverse events, pain relief using visual analogue scale (VAS) and  QoL by measuring disability using modified ODQ at each month of follow-up.  RESULTS: Consecutive 81 patients were recruited and followed for 6 months. Average baseline pain duration was found to be 45.5 months. Combination of drugs and ESI was given in 75 (92%) patients. Anticonvulsants (75%) and Antidepressants (57%) were most commonly prescribed medications. Change in VAS & ODQ score from baseline to each follow-up at 3 months (VAS - 15), 6 months (VAS -25) was significantly (P <0.05) improved.  CONCLUSIONS: Pregabalin and amitriptyline were most commonly used drugs with maximum pain relief and improved Qol. Desired pain relief fluctuated with time. ESI can be promising choice when desirable pain relief is not achieved with medications.

Conference/Value in Health Info

2013-09, ISPOR Latin America 2013, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Value in Health, Vol. 16, No. 7 (November 2013)

Code

PSY13

Topic

Patient-Centered Research

Topic Subcategory

Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes

Disease

Systemic Disorders/Conditions

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