Management of acute non-specific low back pain in the emergency department: do emergency physicians follow the guidelines? Results of a cross-sectional survey.

Autor:	Jermini-Gianinazzi I; Emergency Department, Ospedale Regionale di Bellinzona e Valli Bellinzona, Bellinzona, Ticino, Switzerland ilagian@bluewin.ch., Blum M; Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland., Trachsel M; Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland., Trippolini MA; School of Health Professions, Berne University of Applied Sciences, Bern, Switzerland.; Evidence-based Insurance Medicine (EbIM), Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland., Tochtermann N; Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland., Rimensberger C; Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland., Liechti FD; Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland., Wertli MM; Department of General Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital Baden AG, Baden, Aargau, Switzerland.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	BMJ open [BMJ Open] 2023 Aug 04; Vol. 13 (8), pp. e071893. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Aug 04.
DOI:	10.1136/bmjopen-2023-071893
Abstrakt:	Objectives: Clinical guidelines for acute non-specific low back pain (LBP) recommend avoiding imaging studies or invasive treatments and to advise patients to stay active. The aim of this study was to evaluate the management of acute non-specific LBP in the emergency departments (ED). Setting: We invited all department chiefs of Swiss EDs and their physician staff to participate in a web-based survey using two clinical case vignettes of patients with acute non-specific LBP presenting to an ED. In both cases, no neurological deficits or red flags were present. Guideline adherence and low-value care was defined based on current guideline recommendations. Results: In total, 263 ED physicians completed at least one vignette, while 212 completed both vignettes (43% residents, 32% senior/attending physicians and 24% chief physicians). MRI was considered in 31% in vignette 1 and 65% in vignette 2. For pain management, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, paracetamol and metamizole were mostly used. A substantial proportion of ED physicians considered treatments with questionable benefit and/or increased risk for adverse events such as oral steroids (vignette 1, 12% and vignette 2, 19%), muscle relaxants (33% and 38%), long-acting strong opioids (25% and 33%) and spinal injections (22% and 43%). Although guidelines recommend staying active, 72% and 67% of ED physicians recommended activity restrictions. Conclusion: Management of acute non-specific LBP in the ED was not in agreement with current guideline recommendations in a substantial proportion of ED physicians. Overuse of imaging studies, the use of long-acting opioids and muscle relaxants, as well as recommendations for activity and work restrictions were prevalent and may potentially be harmful. Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared. (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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