• Antibiotic treatment In patients with chronic low back pain and Modic changes (the AIM study): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. 

      Storheim, Kjersti; Espeland, Ansgar; Grøvle, Lars; Skouen, Jan Sture; Assmus, Jörg; Anke, Audny; Froholdt, Anne; Pedersen, Linda Margareth; Haugen, A. J.; Fors, Terese; Lutro, Olav; Marchand, Gunn Hege; Kadar, Thomas; Vetti, Nils; Randen, Solfrid; Nygaard, Øystein Petter; Brox, Jens Ivar; Grotle, Margreth; Zwart, John-Anker (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2017-12-15)
      Background: <br>A previous randomised controlled trial (RCT) of patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) and vertebral bone marrow (Modic) changes (MCs) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), reported that a 3-month, high-dose course of antibiotics had a better effect than placebo at 12 months’ follow-up. The present study examines the effects of antibiotic treatment in chronic LBP patients with ...
    • Clinical effect modifiers of antibiotic treatment in patients with chronic low back pain and Modic changes - Secondary analyses of a randomised, placebo-controlled trial (the AIM study) 

      Bråten, Lars Christian Haugli; Grøvle, Lars; Espeland, Ansgar; Pripp, Are Hugo; Grotle, Margreth; Hellum, Christian; Haugen, Anne Julsrud; Froholdt, Anne; Rolfsen, Mads Peder; Nygaard, Øystein Petter; Lutro, Olav; Kristoffersen, Per Martin; Anke, Audny; Schistad, Ellina Iordanova; Skouen, Jan Sture; Brox, Jens Ivar; Zwart, John-Anker; Storheim, Kjersti (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2020-07-13)
      <i>Background</i> - Randomised trials on antibiotic treatment for patients with chronic low back pain and vertebral endplate changes visible on MRI (Modic changes) have shown mixed results. A possible explanation might be a real treatment effect in subgroups of the study populations. The purpose of the present study was to explore potential clinical effect modifiers of 3-months oral amoxicillin ...
    • Complications, reoperations, readmissions, and length of hospital stay in 34 639 surgical cases of lumbar disc herniation 

      Fjeld, Olaf Randall; Grøvle, Lars; Helgeland, Jon; Småstuen, Milada Cvancarova; Solberg, Tore; Zwart, John-Anker; Grotle, Margreth (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-04-01)
      <i>Aims</i>: The aims of this study were to determine the rates of surgical complications, reoperations, and readmissions following herniated lumbar disc surgery, and to investigate the impact of sociodemographic factors and comorbidity on the rate of such unfavourable events.<p> <p><i>Patients and Methods</i>: This was a longitudinal observation study. Data from herniated lumbar disc ...
    • Criteria for success after surgery for cervical radiculopathy—estimates for a substantial amount of improvement in core outcome measures 

      Mjåset, Christer; Zwart, John-Anker; Goedmakers, Caroline M.W.; Smith, Timothy R.; Solberg, Tore; Grotle, Margreth (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2020-06-02)
      <i>Background context</i> - Defining clinically meaningful success criteria from patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is crucial for clinical audits, research and decision-making.<p> <p><i>Purpose</i> - We aimed to define criteria for a successful outcome 3 and 12 months after surgery for cervical degenerative radiculopathy on recommended PROMs.<p> <p><i>Study design</i> - Prospective ...
    • Efficacy of antibiotic treatment in patients with chronic low back pain and Modic changes (the AIM study): double blind, randomised, placebo controlled, multicentre trial 

      Bråten, Lars Christian Haugli; Rolfsen, Mads Peder; Espeland, Ansgar; Wigemyr, Monica; Assmus, Jörg; Froholdt, Anne; Haugen, Anne Julsrud; Marchand, Gunn Hege; Kristoffersen, Per M; Lutro, Olav; Randen, Sigrun; Wilhelmsen, Maja; Winsvold, Bendik K S; Kadar, Thomas; Holmgard, Thor Einar; Vigeland, Maria Dehli; Vetti, Nils; Nygaard, Øystein Petter; Lie, Benedicte Alexandra; Hellum, Christian; Anke, Audny; Grotle, Margreth; Schistad, Ellina Iordanova; Skouen, Jan Sture; Grøvle, Lars; Brox, Jens Ivar; Zwart, John-Anker; Storheim, Kjersti (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-10-16)
      <p><i>Objective - </i>To assess the efficacy of three months of antibiotic treatment compared with placebo in patients with chronic low back pain, previous disc herniation, and vertebral endplate changes (Modic changes). <p><i>Design - </i>Double blind, parallel group, placebo controlled, multicentre trial. <p><i>Setting - </i>Hospital outpatient clinics at six hospitals in Norway. <p><i>Participants ...
    • Genetic variation in P2RX7 and pain tolerance 

      Kambur, Oleg; Kaunisto, Mari A; Winsvold, Bendik K S; Wilsgaard, Tom; Stubhaug, Audun; Zwart, John-Anker; Kalso, Eija; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2018-02-20)
      P2X7 is a nonselective cation channel activated by extracellular ATP. P2X7 activation contributes to the proinflammatory response to injury or bacterial invasion and mediates apoptosis. Recently, P2X7 function has been linked to chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain. P2X7 may contribute to pain modulation both by effects on peripheral tissue injury underlying clinical pain states, and through ...
    • The rates of lumbar spinal stenosis surgery in Norwegian public hospitals: a threefold increase from 1999 to 2013 

      Grøvle, Lars; Fjeld, Olaf Randall; Haugen, Anne Julsrud; Helgeland, Jon; Småstuen, Milada Cvancarova; Solberg, Tore; Zwart, John-Anker; Grotle, Margreth (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2018-09-17)
      <p><i>Study Design</i>: Retrospective administrative database study.</p> <p><i>Objective</i>: To assess temporal and regional trends, and length of hospital stay, in lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) surgery in Norwegian public hospitals from 1999 to 2013.</p> <p><i>Summary of Background Data</i>: Studies from several countries have reported increasing rates of LSS surgery over the last decades. ...
    • Shift work, low-grade inflammation, and chronic pain: a 7-year prospective study 

      Christensen, Jan Olav; Nilsen, Kristian Bernhard; Hopstock, Laila Arnesdatter; Steingrimsdottir, Olöf Anna; Nielsen, Christopher Sivert; Zwart, John-Anker; Matre, Dagfinn (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2021-02-07)
      <i>Objectives</i> - We investigated prospective associations of shift work with chronic pain and C‐reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation. Furthermore, we elucidated CRP as a possible mediator and/or moderator of effects of shift work on pain.<br><br> <i>Methods</i> - Data from a 7 years follow‐up study were analyzed (<i>N</i> = 2323). Shift work and chronic pain of “neck/shoulder”, ...
    • Variation in serum PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9), cardiovascular disease risk, and an investigation of potential unanticipated effects of PCSK9 inhibition 

      Brumpton, Ben Michael; Fritsche, Lars; Zheng, Jie; Nielsen, Jonas Bille; Mannila, Maria Nastase; Surakka, Ida; Rasheed, Humaira; Vie, Gunnhild Åberge; Graham, Sarah E.; Gabrielsen, Maiken Elvestad; Laugsand, Lars Erik; Aukrust, Pål; Vatten, Lars Johan; Damås, Jan Kristian; Ueland, Thor; Janszky, Imre; Zwart, John-Anker; van't Hooft, Ferdinand M.; Seidah, Nabil Georges; Hveem, Kristian; Willer, Cristen; Smith, George Davey; Åsvold, Bjørn Olav (Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2019-01-15)
      PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) inhibitors reduce serum LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol (LDL-C) by increasing uptake in the liver. Although some long-term trials have evaluated their safety, broad investigations of outcomes over the lifetime, leveraging genetic variation in serum PCSK9, have seldomly been conducted. We investigated effects of these variants on a range ...