Spinal cord stimulation in a workers' compensation population: how difficult it can be to interpret a clinical trial.

摘要

In this issue is a wonderful article by Turner and colleagues [3] entitled, "Spinal Cord Stimulation for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: Outcomes in a Workers' Compensation Setting". This study is remarkable for its depth of outcomes analysis and illustrates the complexities in understanding the results of a clinical trial. What are the differences between an interventional cohort study with matching control groups and a randomized trial? What are the primary conclusions? Can several, conflicting interpretations of the data be made? To whom do the results apply? What are the implications of this study for the treatment of my patients?