Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness and Safety of Shugan Jieyu Capsules for the Treatment of Insomnia
Published on: February 17, 2023
Effectiveness of pulsed radiofrequency treatment on cervical radicular pain: A meta-analysis
Sang Gyu Kwak1, Dong Gyu Lee, Min Cheol Chang
1Department of Medical Statistics, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Background:
Cervical radicular pain is a challenging medical problem in terms of therapeutic management. Recently, pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) stimulation on the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) has been used to control several types of chronic pain. However, its effect on cervical radicular pain is still not well studied. To conduct a meta-analysis of available clinical studies on PRF treatment in patients with cervical radicular pain induced by cervical spine disease that was not responsive to other conservative treatments.
Methods:
A comprehensive database search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and SCOPUS. We included studies published up to August 31, 2017, that fulfilled our inclusion and exclusion criteria. The pain degrees measured using visual analog scale (VAS) at pretreatment and after PRF on the DRG were collected for the meta-analysis. The Cochrane Collaboration's Handbook and Newcastle-Ottawa scale were used for the methodological quality assessments of included studies. The meta-analysis was performed using the Comprehensive Meta-analysis Version 2.
Results:
A total of 67 patients from one RCT study, 2 prospective observational studies, and one retrospective study were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled data of the 4 included studies showed that overall VAS after the PRF treatment was significantly reduced (P ≤ .001). In the subgroup analysis according to follow-up evaluation time points, the pain was significantly reduced at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the procedure (2 weeks: P = .02; 1, 3, and 6 months: P < .001).
Conclusion:
According to the results of the meta-analysis, the use of PRF on the DRG is effective for alleviating cervical radicular pain, which was unresponsive to oral medications, physical therapy, or epidural steroid injection.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
NMR Spectrometers: Radiofrequency Pulses and Pulse Sequences
Pulse
The pulse serves as a clinical...
Pulse
Pulse Rate and its Significance
Pulse rate, often measured in beats per minute (bpm), reflects the heart rate (HR), which is influenced by numerous factors such as stress, physical activity, and hormonal changes. A normal resting adult pulse rate falls...
Directing Effect of Substituents: meta-Directing Groups
Pain
Pulse Oximetry
Purpose
Average SpO2 values are greater than 95%. If the readings fall below 90%, it indicates that...

