| Eligibility |
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Chronic low back pain (cLBP) defined according to the NIH Research Task Force
recommendation on Research Standards for cLBP: pain at least half the days in the past
6 months, by using 2 questions and a human figure drawing illustrating the region as
the space between the lower posterior margin of the rib cage and the horizontal
gluteal fold.
2. Average pain in the last month at least 3 out of 10 on Numeric Rating Scale [range 0 -
10, for 0 signifying no pain and 10 signifying worst pain imaginable]. This level of
pain allows comparability of the study results with the majority of cLBP studies. Pain
rated less than 3 is too mild to detect improvement.
3. Men and women aged 18-65 years old. We are not enrolling younger children as they are
not part of the Intensive Pain Rehabilitation Therapy program. 65 is our upper limit
for age due to changes in blood flow on the MRI.
4. Eligibility will be assessed using the following questions: "(1) How long has back
pain been an ongoing problem for you? and (2) How often has low-back pain been an
ongoing problem for you over the past 6 months?" A response of greater than three
months to question 1, and a response of "at least half the days in the past 6 months"
to question 2 would meet the cLBP eligibility criterion.
5. Ability to speak English. We do not have the capacity, given the resources available
in this proposal, to translate all course material and conduct groups into another
language. We have previously enrolled Hispanic participants into other studies who
were fluent in English, and expect to do this in the proposed study.
6. Low level of interoceptive awareness and habitual distraction as coping mechanism with
pain. This is defined as:
1. MAIA summary score below the population mean score of 3.41. The value of 3.41 is
the mean value of a sample of primary care patients at Kaiser Permanente in a
prior study.
2. the MAIA Non-Distraction score is below 2.91 [possible range 0-5]. The value of
2.91 is the mean value plus standard deviation in the same sample.4 This
eligibility criterion was chosen to test the hypothesis that the MIET task will
be able to increase interoceptive awareness in patients with chronic low back
pain with below average interoceptive awareness and preference for distracting
themselves from their pain experience.
7. Owning a smart phone: the task is smart phone-based.
Exclusion Criteria:
1. Unable to provide informed consent.
2. A substance abuse, mental health, or medical condition that, in the opinion of
investigators, will make it difficult for the potential participant to participate or
that may need immediate changes in medical management that will affect study outcome
measures. Such conditions may include cancer, liver failure, renal failure, pain
conditions from inflammatory diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing
spondylitis, lupus), malignancies or abdominal aortic aneurysm, muscle weakness from
radiculopathy. Radiculopathy or sciatic pain is NOT excluded as long as the condition
is stable and does not lead to significant movement restrictions or <4/5 muscle
weakness. Persons with significant substance abuse or mental health conditions that
interfere with social functioning may be disruptive. Oher medical or mental health
conditions that need immediate changes in management need to be addressed before
starting the study so that more reliable baseline measurements can be made. Patients
who may need assessment for potentially necessary surgical interventions may not be
able to complete the study. Regular opioid prescription is not an exclusion if stabile
over the past 3 months.
3. Spine related current or history of spine infection, spine tumor, vertebral fracture,
cauda equina syndrome. Colorblindness or left handedness. Conditions would increase
heterogeneity of the sample.
4. Blindness, severe vision problems, deafness, severe hearing problems, bipolar or manic
depression and not taking medication, major depression, psychoses (major), a substance
abuse condition, dementia, unable to get up and down from the floor. Condition might
make it difficult to participate.
5. Some other serious medical conditions that may alter key study outcomes, including
untreated hypothyroidism, renal failure, and cirrhosis. Conditions that may alter key
study outcomes.
6. Involvement in a lawsuit related to their back. Complicated medico-legal issues that
could lead to individuals having a financial incentive to not report improvement.
7. Involved in Worker's Compensation claim.
8. Pregnant, breast-feeding, or planning to get pregnant in the next 12 months or less
than 3 months post-partum. Particular back problems than may be associated with
pregnancy and delivery may confound study outcomes.
9. Lack of stable housing or plan to move out of the area within the next 6 months.
10. MRI-related exclusion criteria: Cardiac pacemaker, metal fragments in eyes/skin/body
(shrapnel), subjects who have ever been a metal worker/welder; history of eye
surgery/eyes washed out because of metal, aortic aneurysm clips, prosthesis, by-pass
surgery/coronary artery clips, hearing aid, heart valve replacement, subjects with an
I.U.D, a shunt (ventricular or spinal), electrodes, metal plates/ pins/screws/wires,
or neuro/bio-stimulators (TENS unit), vision problems uncorrectable with lenses,
claustrophobia; inability to lie still on one's back for approximately 60 minutes;
prior neurosurgery; older tattoos with metal dyes; unwillingness to remove nose, ear
or face jewelry, braces or permanent dental retainers. Iron-containing metal parts in
the body can potentially be dislocated by strong magnetic fields and preclude
assessment with MRI.
11. Received a steroid or botox injection in or near the spine in the last 3 months. This
may alter key study outcomes.
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