1. [Antibiotics should not be used for treating back pain due to Modic changes].
- Author
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Udby PM, Fritzell P, Bergström T, Jönsson B, Skorpil M, Hägg O, and Andersen MØ
- Subjects
- Back Pain drug therapy, Humans, Lumbar Vertebrae diagnostic imaging, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Scandinavian and Nordic Countries, Treatment Outcome, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Intervertebral Disc Displacement complications, Intervertebral Disc Displacement diagnostic imaging, Intervertebral Disc Displacement drug therapy
- Abstract
Infection has been proposed as a cause of back pain in individuals with Modic changes. This review summarises the knowledge on this topic in Scandinavia. A Norwegian randomized controlled trial could not replicate results in favor of antibiotic treatment for such patients. A Danish study demonstrated that patients with low back pain and Modic changes had similar physical disability-scores and less sick leave due to back pain than individuals without Modic changes at long-term follow-up (>10 years). A Swedish study displayed equal bacterial presence in discs of patients operated for lumbar disc herniation and in control patients, indicating that the presence of bacteria is caused by contamination during the surgical procedure and is not related to back pain.
- Published
- 2020