title: Added value of an intensive multidisciplinary functional rehabilitation programme for chronic low back pain patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several treatments exist for chronic low back pain (cLBP) patients although none has shown superiority. Among group treatments, muscle reconditioning programmes (MRPs) are the most commonly used. Multidisciplinary functional rehabilitation programmes (MFRPs) are an alternative.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare a MFRP with a MRP as few studies compare these treatments
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, nonrandomised, controlled study comparing cLBP patients participating in a MRP or MFRP in an outpatient setting. The predetermined primary outcome measure was the daily life activity subscale (DLA) of the Dallas Pain Questionnaire (DPQ) within one year after the end of the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one patients were included in the MRP and 24 in the MFRP. At inclusion, the groups were similar in terms of age (mean 40 years), sex (50%-60% males), sick leave duration (mean 6.0 months, standard deviation (SD) 4.4 months) and follow up (mean 9.0 months, SD 2.0 months). The DLA score decreased from 59.5% (SD 16.9) to 44.8% (SD 25.4), p <0.01, in the MFRP and from 62.3 (SD 20.3) to 58.8 (SD 20.7), p = 0.3, in the MRP. The between-groups difference at follow-up was 13.8, p = 0.05, and the difference in the mean improvement was -11.5 (5.9), p = 0.058. Seventy-eight percent of MFRP patients versus 47 % in the MRP group returned to work (p = 0.08).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a population of highly disabled cLBP patients, MFRP seems more effective in increasing function and return to work. Interpretation is limited by the small population included and by the type of trial.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Randomised studies are needed to confirm these results and explore the cost-effectiveness of MFRP.
authors.affiliation: Division of primary care medicine, Department of Community Medicine and Primary Care, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland. annesylviesteiner@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Anne-Sylvie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Marlène
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Danièle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kupper
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gallice
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rentsch
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cedraschi
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Genevay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D062707:Return to Work; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data