Usual Care Vs Choice of Alternative Rx: Low Back Pain

March 5, 2008 updated by: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
This study compares two approaches to the management of acute low back pain: usual care (standard benefit) vs. the choice of: usual care, chiropractic, acupuncture or massage therapy (expanded benefit). 480 subjects with uncomplicated, acute low back pain will be recruited from a health maintenance organization, and randomized to either usual care (n=160) or choice of expanded benefits (n=320). Patients' preferences for individual therapies and expectations of improvement will be measured at baseline and throughout the study. Subjects randomized to the expanded benefits arm who choose chiropractic, acupuncture or massage will receive up to 10 treatments over a five-week period. Additional treatments will be available after the fifth week but will require a copayment. Treatments will be provided by licensed providers who have met strict credentialing criteria. Chiropractic, acupuncture or massage treatments will begin within 48 hours. Chiropractic, acupuncture and massage therapy scope of practice guidelines for the treatment of acute low back pain have been developed as have detailed data tracking procedures to be used at each patient visit. Symptom relief, functional status, restricted activity days, use of health care, and patient and provider satisfaction will be assessed at 2, 5,12, 26 and 52 weeks after initiation of treatment. Primary outcomes will include: 1) change in symptoms; 2) change in functional status; 3) patient satisfaction; and 4) total utilization of services associated with care for low back pain. Medical records and the HMO's cost management information system will identify use of services. It is hypothesized that patients offered their choice of expanded benefits will experience a more rapid improvement in symptoms, a faster return to baseline functional status, a decrease in utilization of conventional medical services, and will be more satisfied with their care. The study is a direct examination of the effectiveness of an insurance eligibility intervention, not a test of the efficacy of specific, non-allopathic treatment regimens. The results of this study will provide valuable information to clinicians, patients and third party payers on the relative benefits and costs of an "expanded benefits" treatment option which incorporates chiropractic, acupuncture and massage services for low back pain.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

See brief summary

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215
        • Harvard Medical School Osher Institute

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Backpain for less than 21 days
  • Backpain within the last 24 hours
  • No prior treatment or evaluation for this episode of backpain
  • Ability to read and speak English

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Not low backpain
  • Backpain for >21 days
  • Already evaluated for this episode of backpain
  • Already treated with acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, or physical therapy for this episode of backpain
  • Osteoporosis
  • Taking systemic corticosteroids
  • Pregnancy
  • History of cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancer)
  • Clotting disorders or currently taking anti-coagulant medication
  • Severe or disabling co-exiting problem (e.g. fibromyalgia, substance abuse, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.)
  • Unable to read or speak English
  • History of back or neck surgery within the last 5 years
  • History of vertebral fracture or dislocation
  • Neurological symptoms suggestive of Cauda Equina Syndrome
  • Requires immediate referral to specialist

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: David Eisenberg, MD, Harvard Medical School Osher Institute

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 1999

Study Completion

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 1, 2003

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 2, 2001

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 2, 2001

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 5, 2001

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 7, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 5, 2008

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2008

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • R01 AT000144-01M
  • R01AT000144-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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