Heart Coherence Training Combined with Back School in Patients with Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain

The aim of this study was to explore on which variables a  stress reduction program based on heartcoherence can enhance the effects of a back school (BS) inpatients with chronic non-specific low back pain and to explore possible moderators for treatment success. A ret-rospective explorative design was carried out with 170patients with chronic non-specific low back pain.  89 Patients were admitted to BS and 81 patients were selected for  BS  and  heart  coherence  training  (BS–HCT).  Six  sessions  of  heart  coherence  were  provided.  At  T0  (baseline)and  T1  (discharge),  the  Numeric  Rating  Scale  for  pain (NRS pain),   Roland   Morris   Disability   Questionnaire (RMDQ),  Pain  Disability  Index  (PDI)  and  Rand-36  were administered  in  both  groups.  Both  groups  improved  significantly on NRS pain, RMDQ, PDI and most of the Rand-36 subscales. On physical functioning, the BS–HCT group improved significantly more than the BS group (p=0.02) but  not  after  Bonferroni  correction.  Significant  moderate correlations  (r=0.39  and  r=0.48)  were  found  between the  change  of  heart  coherence  and  change  of  PDI  and RMDQ respectively, but not with other variables. Baseline characteristics  were  not related  to change on heart coher-ence.   Providing  HCT   was  more  effective  on  physical functioning  compared  to  a  BS  program.  Change  in  heartcoherence was related significantly to 2 out of 12 analyses. Placebo controlled and blinded studies are needed to confirm this. Characteristics of individuals who might benefit remain  unknown.  Evidence  of  this  study  is  considered  a level C, because of its pragmatic clinical character.

Télécharger la publication complète, Cliquez ici