In a landmark development for global healthcare, a pragmatic randomized controlled trial has unveiled compelling evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of pharmacopuncture in treating chronic lower back pain (LBP). Compared with physical therapy, pharmacopuncture considerably minimized pain and enhanced functional outcomes and quality of life in LBP-affected patients.

Chronic LBP, a widespread global health issue, has prompted investigators to examine alternative therapeutic choices. This study was conducted to provide a comprehensive comparison between pharmacopuncture and physical therapy as treatments for chronic LBP. The study, which took place at four Korean medicine hospitals, featured a two-arm, parallel, multicenter design. Participants dealing with chronic LBP were randomly assigned to receive either 10 sessions of pharmacopuncture or physical therapy over a 5-week period, with a subsequent 25-week follow-up.

Recording of key metrics, including numerical rating scale (NRS) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores for LBP and radiating leg pain, patient global impression of change, 5-level EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D-5L), and Oswestry disability index (ODI) was done at various intervals. Using a linear mixed model, an intention-to-treat assessment was performed as the key assessment.

Six weeks after randomization, pharmacopuncture demonstrated statistically superior outcomes compared to physical therapy in terms of LBP relief (NRS difference of 1.54; 95% CI, 0.94-2.13), functional improvement (ODI difference of 4.52%; 95% CI, 0.93-8.11%), and enhanced quality of life (EQ-5D-5L score difference of -0.05; 95% CI, -0.08 to -0.01). Notably, these benefits endured throughout the 25-week observation period.

Moreover, in a survival analysis assessing participants who experienced at least a 50% drop in NRS LBP scores over the 182-day follow-up, the pharmacopuncture group displayed considerably faster recovery rates compared to the physical therapy group. No instances of severe adverse events linked to the intervention were witnessed. In light of these groundbreaking findings, pharmacopuncture emerges as a compelling treatment option for patients grappling with chronic LBP.