Efficacy of Intravenous Dexamethasone for Acute Disc Herniation-Induced Sciatica
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
2008-07-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
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.