title: The association between the duration of preoperative pain and pain improvement in vertebral augmentation: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Most physicians consider length of preoperative pain as an important factor to include patients for SA. Our aim was to synthesize the available evidence regarding the influence of preprocedural pain duration on the outcome of vertebral augmentation procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MEDLINE data base was reviewed up to March 2010. Meta-regression and mixed-effect subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate the association between the outcome of interest, which was pain improvement assessed by a VAS (0-10) and the duration of preoperative pain (independent variable).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 17 articles. The mean VAS improvements for subgroups of ≤6 weeks (n = 12), 6-24 weeks (n = 5), and >24 weeks (n = 3) were 5.18, 4.90, and 5.04, respectively (P = .86). The regression coefficient was -0.024, suggesting trivial association of the duration of preoperative pain and pain improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pain relief following spine augmentation was similar among groups of patients with varying lengths of preoperative pain duration.
authors: Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. arashehteshami@yahoo.com
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Ehteshami Rad
authors: M T
authors: MT
authors: Luetmer
authors: M H
authors: MH
authors: Murad
authors: D F
authors: DF
authors: Kallmes
mesh_terms: D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D013131:Spine / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors