Sensitivity to Change in Low Back Pain: Influence of Shifts in Priorities in Chronic Low Back Pain

2011

Sensitivity to Change in Low Back Pain: Influence of Patient Priorities

Sample size: 100 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Sanchez Katherine, Papelard Agathe, Nguyen Christelle, Bendeddouche Imad, Jousse Marylène, Rannou François, Revel Michel, Poiraudeau Serge

Primary Institution: Service de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, Hôpital Cochin, AP-HP, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France

Hypothesis

To assess the sensitivity to change of the McMaster Toronto Arthritis Patient Preference Disability Questionnaire (MACTAR) in chronic low back pain (CLBP) and shifts in patients' priorities of disabling activities over time.

Conclusion

The MACTAR is responsive to change in chronic low back pain, but shifts in patient priorities can influence its scores.

Supporting Evidence

The MACTAR showed high sensitivity to change with an SRM of 0.66 for patients considering their condition improved.
Patients often shifted their priorities, affecting their MACTAR scores.
Shifts in priorities were common, with 48 out of 100 patients changing at least one priority.

Takeaway

This study looked at how patients with back pain change what they think is important over time, and how that affects their scores on a questionnaire about their pain.