Goshajinkigan for Low Back Pain: An Observational Study

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Pain Management

Background:

• Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent chronic condition with various treatment options.
• Kampo medicine, a traditional Japanese system, is widely used and covered by insurance in Japan for LBP.
• Goshajinkigan (GJG) is a common Kampo formula for LBP, but its efficacy can vary.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively investigate patient factors influencing the effectiveness of Goshajinkigan (GJG) for low back pain (LBP).
• To identify predictors of positive treatment response to GJG in LBP patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study at Keio University Hospital.
• Analysis of medical records of 28 patients treated with GJG for LBP between May 2008 and March 2013.
• Comparison of responders and non-responders based on LBP improvement, daily GJG dose, spine disease incidence, and side effects.

Main Results:

• Ten patients (responders) showed LBP improvement within 6 months; nine (non-responders) did not.
• A significantly higher proportion of responders received the usual daily dose of GJG (7.5g) (p=0.023).
• Non-responders had a significantly higher incidence of spine disease (p=0.020), particularly spinal stenosis (p=0.011).

Conclusions:

• Routine daily administration of GJG appears effective for LBP, especially in patients without underlying spine disease.
• The findings suggest that the presence of spine disease may predict a poorer response to GJG.
• Further research is recommended to validate these factors influencing GJG efficacy in LBP management.