Efficacy of Intravenous Dexamethasone for Acute Disc Herniation-Induced Sciatica

Status

UNKNOWN

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT00516009

Enrollment

Registered

2007-08-14

Start date

2007-08-31

Completion date

2008-07-31

Last updated

2007-08-14

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

RADICULAR PAIN

Keywords

RADICULAR PAIN, DISC HERNIATION, DEXAMETHASONE, VAS

Brief summary

Acute low back pain is one of the most common reasons for all physician visits(1). Phospholipase A2 (PLA2), a potent inflammatory mediator, has demonstrated to be released by discs following injury(4). Clinical practice and animal research suggest that lumbar radicular pain is the result of inflammation of the nerve root in the epidural space(5). The study will evaluate the efficacy of intravenous Dexamethasone for acute disc herniation-induced sciatica. 40 patients aged 18 years or older, who will be transferred to the emergency room due to sciatic pain will be blindly randomized to receive Dexamethasone 30 mg IV for 3 days an tapering off, 10 mg daily, or normal saline. 20 patients will be in each group. The patients will continue their standard care during the study period. Follow up will last for 3 months. Mann-Whitney test will be used for parametric correlation, Wilcoxon for numeral and x² for categorial variables. Dexamethasone IV can help physicians in treating patients with acute sciatic pain.

Interventions

DRUGDEXAMETHASONE

OTHERPLACEBO

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 80 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Patients aged 18 years or older presented with acute radicular pain for less than 6 weeks.

Exclusion criteria

* Patient with acute infection, * Psychiatric disorder, * Uncontroled diabetes, * Uncontrolede hypertension, * Severe congestive heart failure, * Cauda equina syndrome, * Moderate or severe motor deficit, * Primary spinal stenosis, * Pregnancy.

Countries

Israel

Contacts

Primary ContactRADI SHAHIEN, MD

shahien.r@ziv.health.gov.il972 4 6828928

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026