Vets with low back pain wanted for study

By Margaret Foster

Most of us have had at least one bout of lower back pain in our lives. But about half of all veterans have chronic low back pain. Now a study is under way to determine the best way to treat that pain without medication.

The nationwide study, known as Sequential and Comparative Evaluation of Pain Treatment Effectiveness Response (SCEPTER), will enroll more than 2,500 U.S. veterans. Veterans Affairs in Baltimore is one of 20 participating sites around the country.

“The study is basically looking at nonpharmacological therapies like physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation, cognitive behavioral therapy and yoga,” said Dr. Beth Hogans, local site investigator and associate director for education at the VA’s Geriatric

Research, Education and Clinical Centers.

“Each of those treatments have been shown in trials to be effective for low back pain. Some of them work a little better [than others]. They’ve never been compared head-to-head. That’s what this trial is about.”

The SCEPTER study is the first largescale study of its kind, Hogans said. “It’s the type of trial that’s been done for medication, but it hasn’t been done on a large scale with nonpharmacological therapies.”

If you’re a U.S. veteran who has had low back pain for at least six months, and at least four times a week, you’re eligible for the study.

How the study works

Once enrolled, participants will be randomly put into one of three groups, or

Cognition And Metabolism in Prediabetes (CAMPS) Study

Are you 50 years or older?

Are you relatively healthy, without a diabetes diagnosis?

If so, you may be eligible for a new research study in which you learn about your daily blood sugar fluctuations and cognitive abilities.

Receive $100 for participating.

For information call 410-605-7179.

Mention “CAMPS”

Seeking individuals with Memory and Sleep Problems

The REST study is a 13-15-week trial of trazodone taking place at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center

The REST Study is looking for volunteers who:

✔ Have been diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment or have memory problems that are not impacting daily functioning

✔ Are experiencing problems with sleep

✔ Have a study partner willing to attend study visits

All participants receive:

• Free parking at each visit

• Home sleep studies which can diagnose sleep apnea

• All visit procedures administered at no cost

Call Estelle Eyob at 410-550-7385 or email arms. One group will receive “care as usual.” Another group will take an online class on pain relief skills, a program that uses cognitive behavioral therapy. The third group will have 8 to 10 physical therapy sessions in person at Loch Raven VA Medical Center.

After three months, those still experiencing back pain will move on to the last phase of the study. Again, participants will be randomly placed into one of three groups.

The first group will work with a cognitive behavioral therapist via telehealth sessions. Another group will take virtual oneon-one yoga classes from their home. The third will have 8 to 10 in-person sessions with a chiropractor.

The physical therapist, clinical psychologist, yoga instructor and chiropractor are well known in their fields, Hogans noted.

“Here in Baltimore we’ve assembled a

Health shorts

From page 6 more likely to have reduced bone mineral density and muscle mass. Increasing intakes of several foods and nutrients, especially protein, may help reduce hip fracture risk more in underweight women than in healthy or overweight women by helping to establish or restore bone and muscle health. However, the researchers caution that these findings require further confirmation.

Tea and coffee both contain biologically active compounds called polyphenols and team of handpicked superstar treatment providers,” she said. “These are great providers; they’ve been recognized for their abilities.”

The study lasts six months, and while some participants can do most, if not all, of it from their homes, others may have to travel to their in-person appointments.

“It’s a pretty big commitment,” Hogans admitted. But participants can not only potentially get some pain relief from these therapies, they can help others who suffer from chronic low back pain.

“This information is so vital for the millions of people living with low back pain,” Hogans said. “It really does help us make those strides forward.” phytoestrogens, which may help to maintain bone health.

For more information or to volunteer to enroll in the SCEPTER study, contact Chad Wessinger by emailing chadsley.wessinger@ va.gov or call (443) 509-9436.

The data used in the study came from the UK Women’s Cohort Study, which recruited participants between 1995 and 1998. At the time they entered the study, the women ranged between 35 and 69 years of age. Of the 26,318 women involved in the study, 822 cases of hip fracture were identified (3.1% of the participants).

John Schieszer

John Schieszer is an award-winning national journalist and radio and podcast broadcaster of The Medical Minute. He can be reached at medicalminutes@gmail.com.

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