title: General practitioners' management of lumbosacral radicular syndrome compared with a clinical guideline.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the current treatment policy of general practitioners (GPs) in patients with a lumbosacral radicular syndrome (LRS) compared with their clinical guideline.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three GPs completed questionnaires about their treatment policy in individual LRS patients at baseline and at six months follow-up. Simultaneously, 136 LRS patients of these GPs were interviewed at baseline, and at three and six month's follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 12 recommendations in the guideline related to history taking, four were not adhered to by the GPs in about 25% of the patients. Of the ten recommended physical examinations, three are not frequently carried out by the GPs. Almost 40% of the patients were referred to physiotherapy and 27% received muscle relaxants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of the GPs support the content of the LRS guideline. Overall, there was a good adherence with the guideline for history taking and physical examination, and a moderate adherence for treatment policy.
authors: Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of General Practice, Room Ff319, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. p.luijsterburg@erasmusmc.nl
authors: Pim A J
authors: PA
authors: Luijsterburg
authors: Arianne P
authors: AP
authors: Verhagen
authors: Sigrid
authors: S
authors: Braak
authors: Anushka
authors: A
authors: Oemraw
authors: Cees J J
authors: CJ
authors: Avezaat
authors: Bart W
authors: BW
authors: Koes