NCT00011739

Brief Summary

Low back pain is a frequent cause of disability and a common reason for outpatient care in veterans. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lower back often reveals abnormalities,which may be used to justify expensive and invasive therapy, such as surgery. Yet the link between MRI abnormalities and the risk of developing clinically significant back pain is far from clear. This longitudinal study will determine the prevalence and incidence of MRI abnormalities among veterans and determine the extent to which specific MRI abnormalities predict future development of back pain. The result should help clinicians use MR imaging more efficiently, and they may ultimately help reduce the frequency of unnecessary back surgery.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
150

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for all trials

Timeline
Completed

Started Nov 1997

Longer than P75 for all trials

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

November 1, 1997

Completed
3.3 years until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

February 27, 2001

Completed
2 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

March 1, 2001

Completed
6 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

September 1, 2001

Completed
Last Updated

January 21, 2009

Status Verified

February 1, 2003

First QC Date

February 27, 2001

Last Update Submit

January 20, 2009

Conditions

Low Back Pain

Keywords

Low back pain, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),

Eligibility Criteria

Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
VA patients who did not have low back pain within the past four months of recruitment, never had spine surgery, and had no serious systematic medical problem.

Contact the study team to discuss eligibility requirements. They can help determine if this study is right for you.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

VA Puget Sound Health Care System

Seattle, Washington, 98108, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Low Back Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Back PainPainNeurologic ManifestationsSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

Study Type
observational
Sponsor Type
FED

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

February 27, 2001

First Posted

March 1, 2001

Study Start

November 1, 1997

Study Completion

September 1, 2001

Last Updated

January 21, 2009

Record last verified: 2003-02

Locations

US(1)