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Evid Based Med 5:121 doi:10.1136/ebm.5.4.121
  • Therapeutics

Review: injection treatment is not better than placebo for relieving pain in benign chronic low back pain

Proportion of patients with no pain relief for injection treatment v placebo in benign chronic low back pain*

Comparisons Length of follow up Number of studies Number of patients Weighted event rates RRR (95% CI) NNT (CI)
*NS = not significant. Other abbreviations defined in glossary; RRR, NNT, and CI calculated from data in article.
†Event rates not weighted.
‡1 negative study that did not publish raw data was excluded from this group.
<6 weeks 1 97 59% v 67%† 11% (−21 to 35) NS
Facet injection v placebo >6 weeks 1 97 65% v 73%† 10% (−17 to 31) NS
<6 weeks 4 302 60% v 66% 8% (−8 to 22) NS
Epidural injection v placebo >6 weeks 3 254 50% v 53% 7% (−16 to 25) NS
<6 weeks 3‡ 121 42% v 57% 20% (−59 to 60) NS
Local injection v placebo >6 weeks 1 81 75% v 95%† 21% (4 to 35) 5 (3 to 20)

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