Effectiveness of epidural steroid injections for low back pain in older adults: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND

Low back pain (LBP) is a global health problem that contributes to disability, psychological distress, and reduced quality of life in older adults. Current treatment guidelines for LBP support the use of conservative therapies such as physical therapy alongside medication management. However, interventional pain management strategies for LBP such as lumbar epidural steroid injection (LESI) are rarely mentioned.

AIMS: We conducted this systematic review to characterize and evaluate the use and effectiveness of LESI amongst older adults with LBP.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic English-language literature search of Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. We used an iterative approach to identify both keywords and controlled vocabulary related to treatment outcomes of epidural interventions for LBP among older adults. The results were reviewed by three members of the team.

RESULTS

Our search of 3 databases produced a total of 2657 studies and 12 met final inclusion criteria. In all studies, the use of LESI was associated with improvement in pain and/or quality of life.

DISCUSSION: As compared to medication management, LESI was associated with statistically significant improvements in pain and functional status. The addition of physical therapy was not superior to LESI alone.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review is the first that focuses on the effectiveness of LESI in managing LBP in older adults. This review suggests that LESI may reduce pain and improve functional status in older adults, particularly as compared to medication management.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION: The study was prospectively registered on Prospero (ID # 422087).

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not Applicable.