Comparing Long-term Effectiveness of High Frequency and Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation (NCT03681262)
Comparing Long-Term Effectiveness of High Frequency and Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
Over 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain resulting in annual cost of roughly $635 billion. Limited treatments are available for this widespread disease. The data supporting these treatments lack generalizability to patients with more serious medical and psychological comorbidities who are often excluded from explanatory efficacy trials. This study aims to integrate randomized comparative effectiveness research with patient care. The investigators will randomize the patients and collect data using an open-source learning healthcare system already in use in the department to monitor patients' progress: Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry (CHOIR). CHOIR uses the National Institute of Health Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System item banks for comparative metrics through computer adaptive testing. The investigators will leverage the advantage of this novel system to compare effectiveness of high frequency and burst spinal cord stimulation in improving pain and function in patients with chronic back and/or leg pain. Spinal cord stimulation is an effective treatment for chronic pain resulting in \>50% pain relief in about half of the patients. Novel waveforms for spinal cord stimulation - high frequency and burst - increased the efficacy of this treatment even further. However, there is lack of data guiding decision making of the clinicians in choosing the best waveform in treating the patients with chronic pain. The proposed study will provide the clinicians with this evidence. Currently, data about safety and efficacy of these two novel waveforms is available for up to 24 months. The proposed research will provide data about effectiveness of these two modalities for at least 36 months. Moreover, this study will evaluate feasibility of integrating randomized comparative effectiveness research with patient care in Stanford Pain Management subspecialty clinic. CHOIR can then be applied for numerous future trials to advance knowledge in perioperative and pain medicine.
Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.
Location: Stanford Pain Management Center — Redwood City, California
Age range: 18 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistFull eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria ↗
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- Stanford Pain Management Center — Redwood City, California
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
More studies in Chronic Pain
- Chronic Pain Management In Primary Care Using Behavioral Health Consultants — Bethesda, Maryland
- Virtual Reality Treatment for Adults With Chronic Back Pain (VRNT) — Boulder, Colorado
- The Effect of Light Therapy on Chronic Pain — Tucson, Arizona
- Jazz Music and Mindfulness for Chronic Pain — Irvine, California
- Improving Pain Management Via Spinal Cord Stimulation and Blood Pressure Reduction — Kansas City, Kansas
- Retrospective PNS Study — Denver, Colorado
Explore by condition: All Chronic Pain clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Review the official NIH record below to find the coordinating site.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.