title: Evaluation and outcome of low-back pain of unknown etiology.
abstract: Between January 1980 and January 1985, 5,362 patients with low-back pain were evaluated prospectively using a standard approach. The majority improved with routine therapy or could be placed in a definitive diagnostic group. One hundred and nine (2%), however, failed to improve or could not be assigned a specific diagnosis. These patients, defined as having chronic low-back pain of unknown etiology, were referred to a rheumatologist for evaluation. The average time to referral was 6 months. A specific diagnosis was obtained for 14 of the 109 patients. The remaining 95 were placed on new treatment plans, which included detoxification, a change of physicians, and arbitrary changes in therapy. The results indicated that approximately 75% of the group had 50% or greater reduction of pain, and half of the workers' compensation patients returned to some form of employment (although perhaps only intermittent).
authors.affiliation: George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Wiesel
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Feffer
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Borenstein
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004651:Employment; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies