Efficacy of Antibiotic Treatment for Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain and Modic Type I Changes - Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if antibiotics (amoxicillin) work to treat chronic low back pain in adults. In some patients, this type of back pain may be caused by bacteria in the vertebrae, resulting in a condition known as "Modic type I change." The main questions the trial aims to answer are: * What is the efficacy (primary objective) of antibiotic treatment for patients with chronic low back pain and Modic type I changes? * What is the cost-effectiveness (secondary objective) of antibiotic treatment for patients with chronic low back pain and Modic type I changes? Researchers will compare amoxicillin to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no active drug) to see if amoxicillin works to treat chronic low back pain. Participants in the trial will: * Be invited for an MRI scan to determine if they have a Modic type I change; those who do will be included in the study. * Take either amoxicillin or a placebo daily for 100 days. * Take probiotics daily for 100 days to reduce the occurrence and impact of any side effects from the antibiotics. * Attend clinic visits at baseline (the start), 4 weeks, 3 months, and 12 months for checkups and tests. * Complete questionnaires at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months.

Timeline

Start

2025-04-02

Primary completion

2027-08

Completion

2027-08

Publications

• Background GBD 2017 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 354 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet. 2018 Nov 10;392(10159):1789-1858. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32279-7. Epub 2018 Nov 8.
• Background Chiarotto A, Koes BW. Nonspecific Low Back Pain. N Engl J Med. 2022 May 5;386(18):1732-1740. doi: 10.1056/NEJMcp2032396. No abstract available.
• Background Albert HB, Sorensen JS, Christensen BS, Manniche C. Antibiotic treatment in patients with chronic low back pain and vertebral bone edema (Modic type 1 changes): a double-blind randomized clinical controlled trial of efficacy. Eur Spine J. 2013 Apr;22(4):697-707. doi: 10.1007/s00586-013-2675-y. Epub 2013 Feb 13.
• Background Braten LCH, Rolfsen MP, Espeland A, Wigemyr M, Assmus J, Froholdt A, Haugen AJ, Marchand GH, Kristoffersen PM, Lutro O, Randen S, Wilhelmsen M, Winsvold BS, Kadar TI, Holmgard TE, Vigeland MD, Vetti N, Nygaard OP, Lie BA, Hellum C, Anke A, Grotle M, Schistad EI, Skouen JS, Grovle L, Brox JI, Zwart JA, Storheim K; AIM study group. Efficacy of antibiotic treatment in patients with chronic low back pain and Modic changes (the AIM study): double blind, randomised, placebo controlled, multicentre trial. BMJ. 2019 Oct 16;367:l5654. doi: 10.1136/bmj.l5654.
• Background Oliveira CB, Maher CG, Pinto RZ, Traeger AC, Lin CC, Chenot JF, van Tulder M, Koes BW. Clinical practice guidelines for the management of non-specific low back pain in primary care: an updated overview. Eur Spine J. 2018 Nov;27(11):2791-2803. doi: 10.1007/s00586-018-5673-2. Epub 2018 Jul 3.
• Background Agamennone V, Krul CAM, Rijkers G, Kort R. A practical guide for probiotics applied to the case of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in The Netherlands. BMC Gastroenterol. 2018 Aug 6;18(1):103. doi: 10.1186/s12876-018-0831-x.
• Background Jafarnejad S, Shab-Bidar S, Speakman JR, Parastui K, Daneshi-Maskooni M, Djafarian K. Probiotics Reduce the Risk of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea in Adults (18-64 Years) but Not the Elderly (>65 Years): A Meta-Analysis. Nutr Clin Pract. 2016 Aug;31(4):502-13. doi: 10.1177/0884533616639399. Epub 2016 Apr 29.

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