Conditions: Lumbar and Other Intervertebral Disc Disorders With Radiculopathy
Keywords: herniated disk radiculopathy clonidine epidural steroid corticosteroid nucleus pulposus transforaminal
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 26
Healthy volunteers: yes

Brief summary:
This was a randomized, blinded study of transforaminal epidural injection of clonidine versus a similar injection of corticosteroid for acute lumbosacral radiculopathy. The hypothesis was that clonidine will be as effective as steroid for this condition.

Detailed description:
Patients with approximately 3 months of low back pain and leg pain due to intervertebral disc herniation were randomized to transforaminal epidural injections of 2% lidocaine and either clonidine (200 or 400 micrograms) or triamcinolone (40 mg) (corticosteroid). Patients received one to three injections administered at about 2 weeks apart. Patients, investigators, and study coordinators were blinded to the treatment. The primary outcome was an 11-point Pain Intensity Numerical Rating Scale at 1 month. The hypothesis was that clonidine will be as effective as steroid for this condition.

Arms:
arm 1: Transforaminal epidural clonidine injection arm 2: Transforaminal epidural steroid injection

Interventions: intervention 1: Clonidine intervention 2: Triamcinolone hexacetonide intervention 3: Lidocaine HCl
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: 200 or 400 micrograms clonidine intervention 2: 40 or 80 milligrams triamcinolone intervention 3: 1 ml 2% lidocaine (20 mg/mL)

Protocol document: