Review: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants are moderately effective for low back pain
R Chou
Dr R Chou, Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center, Portland, OR, USA; chour@ohsu.edu
QUESTION
Which medications are effective for low back pain?
METHODS
Data sources:
Medline (to November 2006), Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2006), reference lists, and experts.
Study selection and assessment:
English-language systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that were published since 2000 and evaluated medications for acute or chronic low back pain, with or without sciatica, in non-pregnant adults. If no high-quality systematic review was found for a given drug category, primary RCTs were sought. 7 systematic reviews and 24 additional RCTs met the selection criteria.
Outcomes:
pain, back-specific function, and work disability.
MAIN RESULTS
The table shows a summary of the findings.
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CONCLUSIONS
Good …
