Table 2.
Outcome | Definition of ‘responder’ | Reference or source | RCTs |
---|---|---|---|
Back-specific function (Hannover) | 12 % improvement | – | [19] |
Back-specific function (Hannover) | 20 % improvement | – | [22] |
Back-specific function (Oswestry) | Two-grade improvement in one or more functional subsets | – | [25] |
Back-specific function (RMDQ) | 2-point reduction | [53] | [20, 24] |
Back-specific function (RMDQ) | 30 % reduction | [54] | [21] |
Back-specific function (RMDQ) | 50 % reduction | – | [20, 23] |
Combined | 2-point reduction in VAS and 50 % improvement in general perceived effect | – | [26, 27] |
Combined | 50 % reduction in median VAS-back, without a drop in daily activities or rise in analgesics; or 25 % reduction in median VAS-back, with a simultaneous rise in daily activities of at least 25 % and a drop in analgesic intake of at least 25 % | – | [28] |
Combined | 50 % reduction in median VAS-leg without a drop in daily physical activities score, a rise in numerical analgesics rating scale, or both | – | [29] |
Combined | No neurologic deficit, improvement in LBOS of >7, improvement in SF-36 bodily pain and physical function of >1 standard deviation | – | [30] |
Pain intensity | 21 mm reduction on a mean of three visual analogue scales of the MPQ | [55] | [18] |
Pain intensity | 25 % reduction (VAS) | – | [28, 42] |
Pain intensity | 30 % reduction (VAS) | [47] | [31, 34, 40, 43, 44] |
Pain intensity | 33 % improvement on three pain-related items on the Chronic Pain Grade scale | – | [19] |
Pain intensity | 33 % reduction (VAS) | – | [41] |
Pain intensity | 50 % reduction (VAS) | [23, 25, 28, 31, 34–36, 39, 40, 42–44, 52] | |
Pain intensity | 60 % reduction (VAS) | – | [37] |
Pain intensity | 67 % reduction (VAS) | – | [41] |
Pain intensity | 75 % reduction (VAS) | – | [38, 42] |
Pain intensity | 100 % reduction (VAS) | – | [32, 33, 37] |
RMDQ Roland–Morris Disability Questionnaire, VAS visual analogue scale, LBOS low back outcome scale, MPQ McGill Pain Questionnaire