Neuromuscular exercise and counseling for treating recurrent low back pain in female healthcare workers-Findings from a 24-month follow-up study of a randomized controlled trial

Background: Female healthcare workers have a high prevalence of low back pain (LBP)-related sickness absence. Here, we report findings of a 24-month follow-up of a previously published 6-month randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Methods: By adopting an RCT with 6 months of intervention and follow-up at 6, 12, and 24 months, we assessed the maintenance of changes in the effectiveness (LBP and fear of pain) of the interventions (neuromuscular exercise [NME], back-care counseling, both combined) using a generalized linear mixed model adjusted for baseline covariates. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALY). A bootstrap technique was used to estimate the uncertainty around a cost-effectiveness acceptability curve.

Results: Of the 219 females, 71% had data at 24 months. Between 6 and 24 months, LBP intensity (primary outcome) remained low in all intervention arms (-20% to -48%) compared to the control (-10% to -16%). Pain interfering with work remained low in the combined and exercise arms for up to 24 months. At 24 months, the total costs were lowest in the combined arm (€484 vs. €613-948, p < 0.001), as were the number of back-related sickness absence days (0.16 vs. 1.14-3.26, p = 0.003). The analysis indicated a 95% probability of the combined arm to be cost-effective per QALY gained at €1120.

Conclusions: Six months of weekly NME combined with four counseling sessions was cost-effective for treating LBP and the effect was maintained over 24 months.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01465698, 7/11/2011, prospective.