The association between mechanical temporal summation, state anxiety at baseline, and persistent low back pain: a 12-month prospective cohort study

Abstract Background Persons with acute low back pain (LBP) have a good prognosis for regaining function, while pain often persists. Neurobiological and psychosocial factors are recognized to amplify pain responses, as reported for central sensitization. This study investigated the combination of mec...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nicole Dietrich, Hannu Luomajoki, Sabina Hotz-Boendermaker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-12-01
Series:BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-07046-w
_version_ 1797398258145820672
author Nicole Dietrich
Hannu Luomajoki
Sabina Hotz-Boendermaker
author_facet Nicole Dietrich
Hannu Luomajoki
Sabina Hotz-Boendermaker
author_sort Nicole Dietrich
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Persons with acute low back pain (LBP) have a good prognosis for regaining function, while pain often persists. Neurobiological and psychosocial factors are recognized to amplify pain responses, as reported for central sensitization. This study investigated the combination of mechanical temporal summation (TS) chosen to characterize central sensitization and state anxiety representing a psychological factor and their association with persistent pain. Methods A longitudinal prospective cohort study including 176 participants aged between 18 and 65 with acute LBP was performed. The following independent variables were analyzed at baseline: The mechanical TS at the lower back, of whom the Wind-up ratio (WUR) was calculated, and the state anxiety level measured with the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S). The outcome pain intensity was assessed at baseline and 2,3,6 and 12 months after the onset of acute LBP with the Numeric Rating Scale 0–10 (NRS). Linear mixed models (LMM) were used to analyze the association of the independent variables with pain intensity over time. Results The mean baseline WUR was 1.3 (SD 0.6) for the right and 1.5 (SD 1.0) for the left side. STAI-S revealed a mean score of 43.1 (SD 5.2). Pain intensity was, on average, 5.4 points (SD 1.6) on the NRS and decreased over one year to a mean of 2.2 (SD 2.4). After one year, 56% of the participants still experienced pain. The LMM revealed a considerable variation, as seen in large confidence intervals. Therefore, associations of the independent variables (WUR and STAI-S) with the course of the outcome pain intensity over one year were not established. Conclusion This investigation did not reveal an association of mechanical TS and state anxiety at baseline with pain intensity during the one-year measurement period. Pain persistence, mediated by central sensitization, is a complex mechanism that single mechanical TS and state anxiety cannot capture.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T01:23:01Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f9145fb19b924737b6947a86c5cb3096
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1471-2474
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T01:23:01Z
publishDate 2023-12-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
spelling doaj.art-f9145fb19b924737b6947a86c5cb30962023-12-10T12:04:13ZengBMCBMC Musculoskeletal Disorders1471-24742023-12-012411910.1186/s12891-023-07046-wThe association between mechanical temporal summation, state anxiety at baseline, and persistent low back pain: a 12-month prospective cohort studyNicole Dietrich0Hannu Luomajoki1Sabina Hotz-Boendermaker2School of Health Professions, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Institute of Physiotherapy,School of Health Professions, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Institute of Physiotherapy,School of Health Professions, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Institute of Physiotherapy,Abstract Background Persons with acute low back pain (LBP) have a good prognosis for regaining function, while pain often persists. Neurobiological and psychosocial factors are recognized to amplify pain responses, as reported for central sensitization. This study investigated the combination of mechanical temporal summation (TS) chosen to characterize central sensitization and state anxiety representing a psychological factor and their association with persistent pain. Methods A longitudinal prospective cohort study including 176 participants aged between 18 and 65 with acute LBP was performed. The following independent variables were analyzed at baseline: The mechanical TS at the lower back, of whom the Wind-up ratio (WUR) was calculated, and the state anxiety level measured with the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S). The outcome pain intensity was assessed at baseline and 2,3,6 and 12 months after the onset of acute LBP with the Numeric Rating Scale 0–10 (NRS). Linear mixed models (LMM) were used to analyze the association of the independent variables with pain intensity over time. Results The mean baseline WUR was 1.3 (SD 0.6) for the right and 1.5 (SD 1.0) for the left side. STAI-S revealed a mean score of 43.1 (SD 5.2). Pain intensity was, on average, 5.4 points (SD 1.6) on the NRS and decreased over one year to a mean of 2.2 (SD 2.4). After one year, 56% of the participants still experienced pain. The LMM revealed a considerable variation, as seen in large confidence intervals. Therefore, associations of the independent variables (WUR and STAI-S) with the course of the outcome pain intensity over one year were not established. Conclusion This investigation did not reveal an association of mechanical TS and state anxiety at baseline with pain intensity during the one-year measurement period. Pain persistence, mediated by central sensitization, is a complex mechanism that single mechanical TS and state anxiety cannot capture.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-07046-wWind-up ratioState anxietyPainLow back painMechanical temporal summationLinear mixed models
spellingShingle Nicole Dietrich
Hannu Luomajoki
Sabina Hotz-Boendermaker
The association between mechanical temporal summation, state anxiety at baseline, and persistent low back pain: a 12-month prospective cohort study
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Wind-up ratio
State anxiety
Pain
Low back pain
Mechanical temporal summation
Linear mixed models
title The association between mechanical temporal summation, state anxiety at baseline, and persistent low back pain: a 12-month prospective cohort study
title_full The association between mechanical temporal summation, state anxiety at baseline, and persistent low back pain: a 12-month prospective cohort study
title_fullStr The association between mechanical temporal summation, state anxiety at baseline, and persistent low back pain: a 12-month prospective cohort study
title_full_unstemmed The association between mechanical temporal summation, state anxiety at baseline, and persistent low back pain: a 12-month prospective cohort study
title_short The association between mechanical temporal summation, state anxiety at baseline, and persistent low back pain: a 12-month prospective cohort study
title_sort association between mechanical temporal summation state anxiety at baseline and persistent low back pain a 12 month prospective cohort study
topic Wind-up ratio
State anxiety
Pain
Low back pain
Mechanical temporal summation
Linear mixed models
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-07046-w
work_keys_str_mv AT nicoledietrich theassociationbetweenmechanicaltemporalsummationstateanxietyatbaselineandpersistentlowbackpaina12monthprospectivecohortstudy
AT hannuluomajoki theassociationbetweenmechanicaltemporalsummationstateanxietyatbaselineandpersistentlowbackpaina12monthprospectivecohortstudy
AT sabinahotzboendermaker theassociationbetweenmechanicaltemporalsummationstateanxietyatbaselineandpersistentlowbackpaina12monthprospectivecohortstudy
AT nicoledietrich associationbetweenmechanicaltemporalsummationstateanxietyatbaselineandpersistentlowbackpaina12monthprospectivecohortstudy
AT hannuluomajoki associationbetweenmechanicaltemporalsummationstateanxietyatbaselineandpersistentlowbackpaina12monthprospectivecohortstudy
AT sabinahotzboendermaker associationbetweenmechanicaltemporalsummationstateanxietyatbaselineandpersistentlowbackpaina12monthprospectivecohortstudy