The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

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  • Recent Comments

    Cognitive behavioral treatment for low back pain

    Researchers from University of Warwick, in Coventry, UK estimated the cost effectiveness of a group cognitive behavioral treatment in people with low-back pain treated in primary care.

    First, the details.

    • 701 adults with subacute or chronic low-back pain were randomly assigned to a treatment group.
      • Up to 6 sessions of a group cognitive behavioral intervention
      • No treatment
    • The response to treatment was evaluated using the Roland Morris disability questionnaire and modified Von Korff scores at 12 months.
    • The evaluators were not aware of the treatment given — single-blind.

    And, the results.

    • At 12 months, there was significant improvement with cognitive behavioral therapy compared to the control group.
    • The additional quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained was cost-effective at £1786 ($2739).
      • QALY is a year of life adjusted for its quality or value.
    • There were no serious side effects reported.

    The bottom line?

    The authors concluded, “Over 1 year, the cognitive behavioral intervention had a sustained effect on troublesome subacute and chronic low-back pain at a low cost to the health-care provider.”

    3/17/10 21:56 JR

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