Supplementary Digital Content File 5. Excluded CPG recommendations.
ID Original Recommendation Source of Recommendation Reason Excluded
Reference ID / page Grade Level of evidence E1 Cold therapy is not recommended for low back pain. ICSI 2012 11, 16,
17, 18
Low Weak Conflicting recommendations
amongst guidelines; low level evidence.
E2 Clinical experience supports a role for superficial cold packs and alternating heat and cold as per patient preference.
TOP 2015 P7 Conflicting recommendations
amongst guidelines; low level evidence.
E3 Tricyclic antidepressants amitriptyline and nortriptyline may have a small to moderate effect for chronic low back pain with or without leg dominant pain at much lower doses than might be used for depression.
TOP 2015 P14 Conflicts with most recent NICE 2016
guidelines.
E4 Recommend acetaminophen. TOP 2015 P14 Conflicts with most recent NICE 2016
guidelines.
E5 Prescribe medication, if necessary, for pain relief preferably to be taken at regular intervals. First choice acetaminophen.
TOP 2015 P7 Conflicts with most recent NICE 2016
guidelines.
E6 Progressive relaxation or electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback can be considered for chronic pain.
TOP 2015 P15 Conflicts with most recent NICE 2016
guidelines.
E7 Bone scanning is generally accepted, well-established, and widely used. It is more sensitive but less specific than MRI
COLORADO 2014
E.1.g General information.
ID Original Recommendation Source of Recommendation Reason Excluded Reference ID / page Grade Level of evidence
E8 Superficial Heat and Cold Therapy (excluding Infrared Therapy): A generally accepted treatment. Superficial heat and cold are thermal agents applied in various manners that lower or raise the body tissue temperature for the reduction of pain, inflammation, and/or effusion resulting from injury or induced by exercise. Includes application of heat just above the surface of the skin at acupuncture points. Indications include acute pain, the need to increase pain threshold, the need to reduce muscle spasm, and the need to promote
stretching/flexibility. Cold and heat packs can be used at home as an extension of therapy in the clinic setting.
COLORADO 2014
F.13.k Conflicting recommendations
amongst guidelines; low level evidence.
E9 Psychotropic/Anti-Anxiety/Hypnotic Agents: May be useful for treatment of mild and chronic pain, dysesthesias, sleep disorders, and depression.
Antidepressant medications, such as tricyclics and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are useful for affective disorder and chronic pain management.
Tricyclic antidepressant agents, in low doses, are useful for chronic neurogenic pain with difficulty sleeping but have more frequent side effects.
COLORADO 2014
F.6.i Conflicts with most recent NICE 2016
guidelines.
E10 Acetaminophen: An effective analgesic with anti-pyretic but not anti-inflammatory activity. Acetaminophen is generally well-tolerated, causes little or no
gastrointestinal (GI) irritation, and is not associated with ulcer formation. Acetaminophen has been associated with liver toxicity in overdose situations or in chronic alcohol use. Patients may not realize that many over-the- counter preparations contain acetaminophen. The total daily dose of acetaminophen is recommended not to exceed three grams per 24-hour period, from all sources, including narcotic-acetaminophen combination
preparations.
COLORADO 2014
F.6.a Conflicts with NICE 2016 guidelines.
ID Original Recommendation Source of Recommendation Reason Excluded Reference ID / page Grade Level of evidence
E11 Tramadol: May be useful in the relief of low back pain and has been shown to provide pain relief equivalent to that of commonly prescribed NSAIDs.
COLORADO 2014
F.6.j Conflicts with most recent NICE 2016
guidelines.
E12 Back Schools: These usually consist of an educational and skills acquisition program, including exercises, in which all lessons are delivered to groups of participants and supervised by a paramedical therapist or medical specialist. There is some evidence of a modest benefit from adding a back school to other treatments.
COLORADO 2014
F.12.c Conflicts with most recent NICE 2016
guidelines.
E13 Foot Orthoses and Inserts: These are accepted interventions for spinal disorders that are due to aggravated mechanical abnormalities, such as leg length discrepancy, scoliosis, or lower extremity misalignment.
Shoe insoles or inserts may be effective for patients with acute low back problems who stand for prolonged periods of time. A trial of taping may be performed first to evaluate the likely effect of an orthotic.
COLORADO 2014
F.7.a Conflicts with most recent NICE 2016
guidelines.
E14 Lumbar Support Devices: Include backrests for chairs and car seats. Lumbar supports may provide symptomatic relief of pain and movement reduction in cases of chronic low back problems. Lumbar support devices can be utilized to maintain physiologically correct posture of the spine. Lumbar supports should usually be approximately 1.5” in thickness to maintain the natural lordosis of the lumbar spine, but may depend on patient size and firmness of support.
COLORADO 2014
F.7.b Conflicts with most recent NICE 2016
guidelines.
E15 There is good evidence that acupuncture, true or sham, is superior to usual care for the reduction of disability and pain in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain.
COLORADO 2014
F.1 Conflicts with most recent NICE 2016
guidelines.
ID Original Recommendation Source of Recommendation Reason Excluded Reference ID / page Grade Level of evidence
E16 Although overweight/obesity and smoking are associated with the increased prevalence of low back pain, there is inconclusive evidence to recommend modifying
overweight/obesity and smoking for preventing low back pain There is insufficient evidence to recommend reducing alcohol consumption for the prevention of low back pain
TOP 2015 P2 Inconclusive evidence.
E17 There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against using the STarT back screening tool and its associated system of stratified care for chronic low back pain.
Note that this tool has been designed to accommodate a specific program delivery model.
TOP 2015 P19 Conflicts with NICE 2016 guidelines.
E18 There is inconclusive evidence to recommend for or against using the CORE back tool for chronic low back pain.
Note that this tool has been designed to accommodate a specific program delivery model.
TOP 2015 P19 Inconclusive evidence.
E19 Computer-Enhanced Evaluations: These may include isotonic, isometric, isokinetic and/or isoinertial measurement of movement; range of motion (ROM);
endurance; or strength. Values obtained can include degrees of motion, torque forces, pressures, or resistance. Indications include determining validity of effort, effectiveness of treatment, and demonstrated motivation. These evaluations should not be used alone to determine return-to-work restrictions.
COLORADO 2014
E.2 General Information
E20 There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against spinal manipulative therapy for preventing low back pain.
TOP 2015 P2 Insufficient evidence.
E21 There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against spinal mobilization for preventing low back pain.
TOP 2015 P2 Insufficient evidence.
