Long-term follow-up Results of a Combined Physical and Psychological Program for Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain
Authors: Van Hooff Miranda , O'Dowd John , Van Loon Jan , Spruit Maarten 
Published: April 2016

Introduction For patients with persistent and disabling chronic low back pain (CLBP) who failed to improve after less intensive interventions, a combined physical and psychological (CPP) program including exercises and a cognitive behavioral approach, is recommended.1–3 These patients with CLBP participating in a two-week CPP-program improve in functional status and quality of life during the program and these positive results are maintained at one4 and at two-year follow-up assessment.5 Purpose To evaluate the long-term results of a short, intensive, evidence based CPP-program. Material and Methods A consecutive cohort study with a mean follow up of 6.5 years (range: 5.5–7.5) was performed. At follow up a response rate of 85% ( n = 277) was achieved. Primary outcome was functional status (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI;0–100]). Secondary outcomes were pain intensity, quality of life, and patient reported satisfaction. A Repeated Measures analysis of variance was used to identify changes over time. The two-week residential program is in line with recommendations in international guidelines1–3 and provided in collaboration with orthopedic spine surgeons at Sint Maartenskliniek Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Results At pre-treatment assessment the mean age was 46.1years (SD9.3) and the mean CLBP-duration 12.3 years (SD10.9). The mean ODI-score showed improvement at post-treatment and maintenance of results over time (ODI df[1,276],F = 0.146, p = 0.703). Secondary outcomes showed the same pattern. At long-term follow up more than half of the CLBP-patients (59.2%) showed a clinically relevant improvement of ≥10 points on the ODI and 45.3% of the patients reached a functional status equivalent to an acceptable, normal healthy population value (ODI ≤ 22). This is comparable to the one-year follow-up assessment. 80.1% of the participants are satisfied with the treatment results and 76.2% would recommend the program to family/friends. Conclusion The positive short-term effectiveness at one-year follow up of a two-week CPP-program is demonstrated to maintain over time. Patients demonstrate continued improvement of functional status and quality of life after 6.5 years of follow up. Moreover, at long-term follow up a high percentage of patients were satisfied with the results of the program and they would recommend the program to family and/or friends. References National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Clinical Guideline 88. Low back pain: Early management of persistent non-specific low back pain. May 2009 Chou R, Loeser JD, Owens DK, et al; American Pain Society Low Back Pain Guideline Panel. Interventional therapies, surgery, and interdisciplinary rehabilitation for low back pain: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline from the American Pain Society. Spine 2009;34(10):1066–1077 Airaksinen O, Brox JI, Cedraschi C, et al; COST B13 Working Group on Guidelines for Chronic Low Back Pain. Chapter 4. European guidelines for the management of chronic nonspecific low back pain. Eur Spine J 2006;15(Suppl 2):S192–S300 van Hooff ML, van der Merwe JD, O'Dowd J, et al. Daily functioning and self-management in patients with chronic low back pain after an intensive cognitive behavioral programme for pain management. Eur Spine J 2010;19(9):1517–1526 van Hooff ML, Ter Avest W, Horsting PP, et al. A short, intensive cognitive behavioral pain management program reduces health-care use in patients with chronic low back pain: two-year follow-up results of a prospective cohort. Eur Spine J 2012;21(7):1257–1264