title: Preliminary evidence for the features of non-reducible discogenic low back pain: survey of an international physiotherapy expert panel with the Delphi technique.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The lumbar intervertebral disc is a known source of low back pain (LBP). Various clinical features of discogenic pain have been proposed, but none have been validated. Several subgroups of discogenic pain have been hypothesised, with non-reducible discogenic pain (NRDP) proposed as a relevant clinical subgroup. The objectives of this study were to obtain consensus from an expert panel on the features of discogenic low back pain, the existence of subgroups of discogenic LBP, particularly NRDP, and the associated features of NRDP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-round Delphi survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one international physiotherapists with expertise in LBP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Panellists listed and ranked features that they believed to be indicative of discogenic pain and NRDP. On completion of Round 3, features with ≥50% agreement between panellists were deemed to have reached consensus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After three rounds, 10 features of discogenic LBP were identified. Nineteen of the panellists believed that NRDP was a subgroup of discogenic LBP, and nine features of NRDP were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides preliminary validation for the features associated with discogenic LBP. It also provides evidence supporting the existence and features of NRDP as a separate clinical subgroup of discogenic LBP.
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia. ay2chan@students.latrobe.edu.au
authors.forename: A Y P
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McMeeken
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Wilde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D032921:Consensus; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Classification; Delphi technique; Intervertebral disc; Low back pain; Validity