Effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave for low back pain A protocol of systematic review

Background: Previous clinical trials have reported that extracorporeal shock wave (EPSW) can be used to treat low back pain (LBP), and have achieved satisfied effect. However, its effectiveness is still inconclusive. Thus, this systematic review will aim to assess the effectiveness and safety of EPSW for patients with LBP. Methods: In this systematic review, the electronic databases of Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, PUBMED, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wanfang Data will be searched from inception to January 1, 2019. Randomized controlled trials and case-control studies that assessed the effectiveness and safety of EPSW for LBP will be included. The primary outcome is pain intensity. The secondary outcomes are functional status, quality of life, psychological outcomes, as well as the adverse events. All process of the study selection, data extraction, and methodology evaluation will be carried out by two authors independently. RevMan 5.3 software will be utilized for statistical analysis. Results: This study will provide a detailed summary of latest evidence related to the effectiveness and safety of EPSW in pain relief, improvement of functional status, quality of life, and psychological disorders in patients with LBP. Conclusion: The findings of this study may provide possible guidance for LBP treated by EPSW. Dissemination and ethics: Ethical approval is not required in this study, because it will not collect the original data from individual patient. The results are expected to publish through a peer-reviewed journal. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42019120501.