Low Back Pain Final 4/12/02 1:53 PM Page 1
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low back pain final 4/12/02 1:53 PM Page 1 PRESCRIBING GUIDELINES FOR PRIMARY CARE CLINICIANS NSW THERAPEUTIC LOW BACK ASSESSMENT GROUP First Published 1998. Revised 2002 PAIN Rational Use of Opioids in Chronic or Recurrent Non-malignant Pain Background Diagnosis and Management Physical dependence will occur after as little Low back pain is one of the most prevalent The key to managing acute low back pain as one week of continuous opioid therapy, problems in the general population.1 is assessment, which assists in distinguishing but is usually not associated with drug- 11 Consultations in general practice involving serious pathology from benign musculoskeletal seeking behaviour. If opioid requirements management of back pain are frequent. causes. The latter constitute well over 90% appear inappropriate based on observation of The most common presentation is non- of back pain cases.2 Table 1 lists ‘red flags’. the person’s behaviour, consideration should specific lower back pain associated with These should alert clinicians to potentially be given to referring the person to a specialist decreased spinal movement.Other less serious conditions which require further in drug dependence or a specialist pain common causes of back pain include trauma, investigation and possible referral.2 service. If early referral is impractical, advice disorders producing neurological lesions, can usually be obtained by telephone. infection, neoplasm and metabolic bone Where pain persists either intermittently or disease. While well over 90% of patients with continuously for an extended period, there For clinical advice on the management of acute back pain recover within 2 weeks, is a risk of progression to chronic pain. a patient with problems related to opioid recurrence is reported in 20-60% of patients.2 There are psychosocial risk factors that are dependence, call the NSW Drug and Alcohol associated with an increase in the likelihood Specialist Advisory Service on 1800 023 687 Several guidelines3-10 have been produced of progression to chronic pain. These have or 02 9557 2905. to assist clinicians manage acute back pain. been referred to as ‘yellow flags’ and an Satisfactory relief of acute pain may help to adaptation of these is provided in Table 2.9 Doctors can call the Commonwealth prevent the development of chronic pain. For further information on the cognitive and Health Insurance Commission (HIC) behavioural aspects of chronic pain, refer on 1800 631 181 or the NSW HIC on Patients with chronic pain may present for to Therapeutic Guidelines: Analgesic, 02 9895 3333 to check whether there treatment of 4th Edition, published by Therapeutic is any information on a patient seeking • acute pain from unrelated injury or illness, Guidelines Limited (2002)11, which contains benzodiazepines or opioids who may be • exacerbation of chronic pain, or useful information for clinicians and patients. seeing other doctors or obtaining multiple • ongoing management of chronic pain. A self-help book which may also be helpful PBS prescriptions. However there may be is Manage Your Pain: practical and positive limitations to the value of such information These guidelines are intended to assist ways of adapting to chronic pain, (eg it may not be current or comprehensive). general practitioners and other primary care by Nicholas et al, published by ABC The pharmacological options for management clinicians to manage the complex medical, Books (2001).12 psychosocial, ethical and regulatory are discussed in the following paragraphs. considerations involved in treating patients Referral to a multidisciplinary treatment It is important that these options are explored with chronic low back pain, especially where program is important in managing patients in conjunction with the patient to develop there is exacerbation of their chronic pain. with chronic low back pain,13 particularly a management plan. The patient should They integrate key points from evidence- those with multiple risk factors (yellow flags). understand the goals of drug management based guidelines with experience from Early referral is desirable for these individuals. and how these relate to the outcomes of general practice. The use of long acting oral opioids may be adjunctive therapies. appropriate in a small number of patients. The limitations of drug therapy as a The recommendations are based, wherever Ideally, pain clinic assessment should means of achieving favourable outcomes are possible, on published evidence. The level precede the prescription of oral opioids. of evidence is noted against each treatment acknowledged. Although guidelines provide to assist interpretation and implementation On occasion, a general practitioner may see the best options based on available evidence, of the guideline in practice (see Table 3). a new patient who complains of severe pain, they may not ensure a successful outcome and who is already taking a mixture of opioid in all patients. This document deals principally with the and non-opioid drugs and is seeking ongoing pharmacological management of chronic treatment. Contact should be made with the non-malignant low back pain. Non-drug previous prescriber. Assessment by a pain therapies also have an important place in clinic should be arranged as soon as possible. pain management. Active rehabilitation is particularly important in preventing progression to a chronic condition. ISBN 0 9586069 27 1 Funded by low back pain final 4/12/02 1:53 PM Page 2 Evidence for Efficacy of Drug Treatments TABLE 1 Paracetamol Paracetamol has been proposed as first line Red flags* for potentially serious conditions therapy in all reviewed guidelines for treatment of acute low back pain. Although it has not requiring medical intervention been tested in placebo controlled trials in in acute low back pain patients with acute or chronic back pain its efficacy for a wide variety of pain is well Possible fracture Possible tumour or Infection Possible cauda equina established and it is considered relatively safe syndrome (ie it does not cause physical dependence and is not associated with gastrointestinal FROM MEDICAL HISTORY side effects). This view is supported by the 14 Major trauma, such as vehicle Age over 50 or under 20. Saddle anaesthesia. study of Coste et al in which 90% of accident or fall from height. patients presenting with a first episode of History of cancer. Constitutional Recent onset of bladder back pain recovered on paracetamol and, Minor trauma or even strenuous symptoms, such as recent fever dysfunction, such as urinary in a few cases, rest. lifting in an older or potentially or chills or unexplained retention, increased frequency, osteoporotic patient. weight loss. or overflow incontinence. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory Risk factors for spinal infection: Severe or progressive drugs (NSAIDS) recent bacterial infection (eg neurological deficit in the lower Evidence for the efficacy of NSAIDs in low urinary tract infection), IV drug extremity. back pain is limited. A systematic review15 abuse; or immune suppression of 51 randomised clinical trials evaluating (from corticosteroids, transplant NSAIDs in acute or chronic low back pain or HIV). found treatment with an NSAID for one week provided a small but significant short term Pain that worsens when supine, global improvement compared with placebo severe night-time pain. (relative risk 1.24; 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.41). There was not enough information FROM PHYSICAL EXAMINATION to determine the effectiveness of NSAIDs over Peri-anal/perineal sensory loss. placebo in chronic low back pain specifically. NSAIDs were only slightly more effective than Major motor weakness: paracetamol for both acute and chronic low quadriceps (knee extension back pain, and none of the studies showed weakness); plantar flexors, a difference between NSAIDs and opioids evertors and dorsiflexors such as codeine or dextropropoyphene. (foot drop). There was no difference between the various NSAIDs tested. TABLE 2 Because adverse effects are common with NSAIDs, they should not replace paracetamol Yellow flags* to alert to psychosocial factors as first line therapy. NSAIDs should be avoided in patients who are volume depleted, which may contribute to long-term distress, elderly, have renal dysfunction or a history disability and chronic pain of peptic ulcer. NSAIDs exert an immediate analgesic effect, The following factors may be important in Suggested questions (to be phrased in however their anti-inflammatory effect, which predicting poor outcomes: treatment provider’s own words): is related to the achievement of steady state, • presence of a belief that back pain is harmful or • Have you had time off work in the past with is only evident after dosing for three to five half-lives. This means that NSAIDs with shorter potentially severely disabling back pain? half-lives, such as ibuprofen and diclofenac, • fear-avoidance behaviour (avoiding a movement or • What do you understand is the cause of your should be prescribed in preference to those activity due to misplaced anticipation of pain) and back pain/ with longer half-lives, such as piroxicam and reduced activity levels • What are you expecting will help you? sulindac, for non-specific low back pain due to acute injury. • tendency to low mood and withdrawal from • How is your employer responding to your back social interaction pain? Your co-workers? Your family? Although COX-2 selective inhibitors (eg • an expectation that passive treatment rather than celecoxib, rofecoxib) may reduce the risk of • What are you doing to cope with back pain? active participation will help. serious gastrointestinal (GI) events,16, 17 they • Do you think that you will return to work? are no more effective than traditional NSAIDs. If so, when? They should be reserved for patients at high risk for upper GI bleeding. *Adapted from: New Zealand Acute Low Back Pain Guide. Wellington,19979. 2 low back pain final 4/12/02 1:53 PM Page 3 Opioids Because it has relatively weak opioid (SSRIs) are more effective than noradrenergic There is no place for the general use of effects, constipation is less common with reuptake inhibitors such as the tricyclic injectable opioids such as pethidine.