Extract
Question: In patients with chronic low back pain, how do surgical
stabilization of the spine and an intensive rehabilitation program compare for
symptom relief?Design: Randomized (allocation concealed), unblinded, controlled
trial with 24-month follow-up.Setting: 15 hospitals in the United Kingdom.Patients: 349 patients between 18 and 55 years of age (51% women)
with a 12-month history of chronic low back pain who were candidates for
surgical stabilization of the spine and (with their clinician) were uncertain
which of the study treatments were best. Exclusion criteria were infection,
other comorbid conditions, psychiatric disease, previous surgical
stabilization of the spine, or pregnancy. 284 patients (81%) completed the
back-pain-specific questionnaire; 246 patients (70%) completed the walk
test.