Vicente Vanaclocha, Pablo Jordá-Gómez, Nieves Saiz-Sapena, Leyre Vanaclocha, Jack Kennedy
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Despite the availability of safe and effective surgical treatments for chronic SI joint pain, many clinicians find the diagnosis of SI joint pain challenging. Misdiagnosis can lead to misdirected surgery, which has important consequences. The study's goal was to determine whether a combination of clinical examination, joint block, and selected radiographic imaging can distinguish patients with SI joint pain from those with other causes of chronic low back pain.
Methods: Prospective diagnostic accuracy study with evaluation of 364 consecutive patients seeking advice in a neurosurgical clinic for chronic low back pain. Participating patients underwent comprehensive clinical examination (medical history items, specific physical examination manoeuvres, and selected radiographic tests) followed by SI joint block. Block was used to confirm or exclude SI joint pain. Logistic regression with LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) penalty was used to calculate the accuracy of diagnosis when looking at (1) medical history items only, (2) medical history plus radiographic testing, and (3) medical history, radiographic testing, and physical examination testing.
Results: 150 patients had a positive response (>50% acute pain relief) to SI joint block, 214 had no response to SI joint block, and 37 had minimal (<50% improvement) in pain. Diagnostic accuracy for SI joint pain was lowest with medical history only (85-86%), slightly higher when radiographic testing was added (87%), and highest when physical examination testing was included (96%).
Conclusion: Comprehensive clinical examination (including SI joint block where relevant and selected imaging procedures) is accurate in distinguishing the SI joint from non-SI joint causes of chronic low back pain.
期刊介绍:
The British Journal of Neurosurgery is a leading international forum for debate in the field of neurosurgery, publishing original peer-reviewed articles of the highest quality, along with comment and correspondence on all topics of current interest to neurosurgeons worldwide.
Coverage includes all aspects of case assessment and surgical practice, as well as wide-ranging research, with an emphasis on clinical rather than experimental material. Special emphasis is placed on postgraduate education with review articles on basic neurosciences and on the theory behind advances in techniques, investigation and clinical management. All papers are submitted to rigorous and independent peer-review, ensuring the journal’s wide citation and its appearance in the major abstracting and indexing services.