[Low back pain in young subjects: a new approach to therapy].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficiency and safety of arthrofoon versus sublingual nimesulide in patients with degenerative disc disease (DDD) in two parallel groups.


METHODS
Fifty patients (males and females) aged 18-35 years who had acute and chronic low back pain (LBP) (visual analog scale (VAS), > 40 mm) associated with DDD were enrolled in the study. Therapeutic efficiency was evaluated from the intensity of pain (VAS), spinal function (Schober's test and Tomayer's test), the severity of disease (VAS), assessed by a physician and a patient, and the frequency of recurrent pain episodes.


RESULTS
The evaluation of the efficacy of arthrofoon showed a statistically significant positive change in pain (VAS), which corresponded to that in the indices of the pain syndrome during nimesulide administration. There was a statistically significant reduction in the frequency of recurrences in patients with chronic intermittent LBP treated with arthrofoon (p < 0.01). Arthrofoon used alone and in combination with paracetamol demonstrated a good safety profile.


CONCLUSIONS
In DDD-associated LBP, the use of arthrofoon is effective and safe in young patients with both the acute (in combination with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as a short course) and chronic (requiring long-term anti-inflammatory therapy) types of the disease.
Shostak
N A
NA
Pravdiuk
N G
NG
Koriakina
I N
IN
D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000150:complications; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012008:Recurrence; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C503436:Artrofoon; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C012655:nimesulide