Analgesic effectiveness of subcutaneous carbon-dioxide insufflations as an adjunct treatment in patients with non-specific neck or low back pain

Authors: Brockow T (1) , Dillner A (2) , Franke A (1) , Resch KL (1)

Affiliations:

(1) Research Institute for Spa Therapies and Health Resort Science (2) Rehabilitation Hospital Sachsenhof

Source: Complement Ther Med. 2001 Jun;9(2):68-76

Language: English Countries: Germany Location: Not specified Correspondence address: brockow.th@t-online.de

Keywords

Article abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To evaluate the analgesic effectiveness of subcutaneous carbon-dioxide insufflations in addition to standard physical treatment in patients with non-specific neck or low back pain.

DESIGN:

A pragmatic, randomized controlled trial.

SETTING:

Rehabilitation hospital inpatients.

INTERVENTIONS:

Patients received either subcutaneous carbon-dioxide insufflations (10 treatments) and standard physical treatment or standard physical treatment only.

OUTCOME MEASURES:

Affective pain perception (42-point scale), sensory pain perception (30-point scale), pain intensity (100 mm visual analogue scale).

RESULTS:

Between-groups differences were -2.2 [95% CI -5.2; +0.9] (affective pain perception), -1.2 [-3, 0; + 0.7] (sensory pain perception), and -6.5 [-14; +1.0] (pain intensity) respectively in favour of subcutaneous carbon-dioxide insufflations.

CONCLUSIONS:

Subcutaneous carbon-dioxide insufflations do not seem to be a worthwhile adjunct in the given setting of inpatient rehabilitation. Trials in a monotherapeutic setting, which aim more at the efficacy of subcutaneous carbon-dioxide insufflations, might help to solve this issue.

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