Low back pain and sciatica are a complex clinical problem which causes great suffering, disability, and expense. The two constitute the greatest single clinical volume for both neurosurgery and orthopedics. Intradiscal therapy has recently been added to surgery and conservative care for management. Long-term effects of these drugs are not known and definitive criteria to accurately predict success or failure of therapy are not defined. We plan to study a broadly based population of patients to determine the factors associated with success (or failure) of the three major forms of therapy - surgery, intradiscal injection, and conservative care. Data from multiple centers representing neurosurgery and orthopedics will be accumulated on physical and x-ray findings, as well as social, demographic, and psychologic factors in these patients. Outcome will be evaluated for all treatments and correlated with these multivariant factors. Then long-term evaluations will proceed for 5 years to compare the eventual outcomes. Cost of care will be compared. The goal is to appropriately match outcome with treatment.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS021718-05
Application #
3403194
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (SRC (02))
Project Start
1986-04-01
Project End
1991-03-31
Budget Start
1990-04-01
Budget End
1991-03-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
045911138
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21218
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