title: Long-term outcomes of anthroposophic therapy for chronic low back pain: A two-year follow-up analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anthroposophic treatment for chronic low back pain (LBP) includes special artistic and physical therapies and special medications. In a previously published prospective cohort study, anthroposophic treatment for chronic LBP was associated with improvements of pain, back function, and quality of life at 12-month follow-up. These improvements were at least comparable to improvements in a control group receiving conventional care. We conducted a two-year follow-up analysis of the anthroposophic therapy group with a larger sample size.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five consecutive adult outpatients in Germany, starting anthroposophic treatment for discogenic or non-specific LBP of ≥6 weeks' duration participated in a prospective cohort study. Main outcomes were Hanover Functional Ability Questionnaire (HFAQ; 0-100), LBP Rating Scale Pain Score (LBPRS; 0-100), Symptom Score (0-10), and SF-36 after 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-five percent of patients were women. Mean age was 49.0 years. From baseline to 24-month follow-up all outcomes improved significantly; average improvements were: HFAQ 11.1 points (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.5-16.6; p < 0.001), LBPRS 8.7 (95% CI: 4.4-13.0; p < 0.001), Symptom Score 2.0 (95% CI: 1.3-2.8; p < 0.001), SF-36 Physical Component Summary 6.0 (95% CI: 2.9-9.1; p < 0.001), and SF-36 Mental Component Summary 4.0 (95% CI: 1.1-6.8; p = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with chronic LBP receiving anthroposophic treatment had sustained improvements of symptoms, back function, and quality of life, suggesting that larger multicenter rigorous studies may be worthwhile.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Applied Epistemology and Medical Methodology, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Harald J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hamre
authors.forename: Claudia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Witt
authors.forename: Gunver S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Kienle
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Glockmann
authors.forename: Renatus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: Stefan N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Willich
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiene