Chronic Cervical Radicular Pain
Conditions
Keywords
Cervical Radicular Pain, Cervical Radiculopathy, Dorsal Root Ganglion, Pulsed Radiofrequency, Electromyography, Nerve Conduction Studies, Electrophysiological Evaluation
Brief summary
This observational study aims to determine whether electromyography and nerve conduction study findings can help predict the response to cervical dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment in patients with chronic cervical radicular pain. Adults aged 18 to 75 years with unilateral cervical radicular pain who are already scheduled to receive pulsed radiofrequency treatment will undergo an electrophysiological evaluation before the procedure. Participants will be classified according to whether cervical radiculopathy is detected on electrophysiological testing. Pain intensity, neck-related disability, quality of life, and depressive symptoms will be assessed before treatment and at 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after the procedure. Outcomes will be compared between participants with and without electrophysiological evidence of radiculopathy to evaluate whether these findings are associated with treatment success.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Marmara University
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Age between 18 and 75 years Presence of cervical disc herniation and/or spinal stenosis Unilateral cervical radicular pain radiating to the arm for at least 3 months, confirmed by clinical evaluation, physical examination, and radiological imaging Inadequate response to conservative treatments, including physical therapy, medical treatment, and/or epidural steroid injection
Exclusion criteria
History of cervical spine surgery Presence of myelopathy Predominantly axial neck pain Active infection Vertebral fracture Coagulation disorder Presence of a cardiac pacemaker Refusal or inability to provide informed consent
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change From Baseline in Pain Intensity Assessed by the Numeric Rating Scale | Baseline, 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after cervical dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment | Pain intensity will be assessed using an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale ranging from 0, indicating no pain, to 10, indicating the worst imaginable pain. Change from baseline will be calculated at each follow-up visit and compared between participants with and without electrophysiological evidence of cervical radiculopathy. A greater reduction in score indicates greater improvement in pain. |
| Treatment Success Based on the Numeric Rating Scale | 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after cervical dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment | Treatment success is defined as a reduction of at least 50% in the Numeric Rating Scale pain score compared with baseline. The proportion of participants achieving treatment success will be compared between participants with and without electrophysiological evidence of cervical radiculopathy. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change From Baseline in Neck-Related Disability Assessed by the Neck Disability Index | Baseline, 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after cervical dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment | Neck-related disability will be assessed using the Neck Disability Index. Higher scores indicate greater neck-related disability. Change from baseline will be calculated at each follow-up visit and compared between participants with and without electrophysiological evidence of cervical radiculopathy. |
| Change From Baseline in Health-Related Quality of Life Assessed by EuroQol | Baseline, 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after cervical dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment | Health-related quality of life will be assessed using the EuroQol questionnaire. The instrument evaluates mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression. It also includes a visual analog scale ranging from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better perceived health status. Changes from baseline will be compared between the two electrophysiological groups. |
| Change From Baseline in Depressive Symptoms Assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory | Baseline, 3 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after cervical dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment | Depressive symptoms will be assessed using the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory. Total scores range from 0 to 63, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms. Change from baseline will be calculated at each follow-up visit and compared between participants with and without electrophysiological evidence of cervical radiculopathy. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed