Somatic Experiencing® for patients with low back pain and comorbid posttraumatic stress symptoms – a randomised controlled trial

Figures & data

Figure 1. Flow diagram of patients.

T0 = baseline before randomisation, T1 = 6-month follow up, T2 = 12-month follow up.

Table 1. Unadjusted means (SD) for outcomes by treatment group and time point.

	Baseline		6-month		12-month
	SE+Phys (n = 55)	Phys (n = 59)	SE+Phys (n = 45)	Phys (n = 46)	SE+Phys (n = 49)	Phys (n = 49)
Primary outcome
RMDQ (0–100)	64.22 (19.02)	68.90 (19.32)	47.00 (26.96)	53.67 (26.16)	51.11 (28.00)	50.17 (27.04)
Secondary outcomes
HTQ (0–48)	23.81 (7.15)	26.28 (6.49)	21.35 (10.90)	23.12 (9.01)	21.20 (10.78)	21.52 (11.06)
NRS (0–10)	6.33 (2.11)	6.33 (1.80)	4.27 (2.54)	4.39 (2.07)	4.61 (2.51)	4.69 (2.52)
TSK (17–68)	45.65 (5.45)	46.16 (4.82)	41.15 (6.30)	42.81 (6.01)	41.56 (6.23)	42.05 (5.89)
PCS (0–52)	27.24 (8.47)	26.76 (8.69)	18.08 (10.64)	18.70 (9.42)	19.11 (12.11)	19.83 (10.77)
HADS-D (0–21)	7.51 (3.86)	7.83 (3.27)	7.44 (5.09)	6.55 (4.26)	6.77 (4.62)	6.69 (4.27)
HADS-A (0–21)	10.12 (3.15)	9.58 (3.77)	9.05 (4.76)	8.12 (4.26)	9.55 (4.57)	8.63 (4.12)

n = the number of participants with primary outcome data at each time point. RMDQ = Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire; HTQ = Harvard Trauma Questionnaire; NRS = Mean pain intensity on a Numerical Rating Scale; PCS = Pain Catastrophising Scale; HADS-D/A = Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale;

SE = Somatic Experiencing®; Phys = Physiotherapy.

Table 2. Treatment effects expressed as predicted adjusted mean differences between SE+phys and phys at each time point.

	Baseline			6-month			12-month
	Mean Difference	95% CI		Mean Difference	95% CI		Mean Difference	95% CI
Primary outcome
RMDQ (0–100)	−4.83	−11.51	1.58	−7.68	−16.74	1.38	−2.98	−14.06	8.09
Secondary outcomes
HTQ (0–48)	−2.79*	−5.38	−0.20	−2.09	−5.53	1.35	−1.40	−5.97	3.18
NRS (0–10)	−0.01	−0.70	0.69	0.04	−0.87	0.94	−0.003	−0.99	0.99
TSK (17–68)	−0.45	−2.28	1.39	−2.22*	−4.42	−0.02	−1.23	−3.81	1.26
PCS (0–52)	0.87	−2.82	4.01	−0.10	−4.17	3.97	−0.27	−4.94	4.40
HADS-D (0–21)	−0.11	−1.33	1.11	0.51	−1.31	2.33	0.43	−1.31	2.18
HADS-A (0–21)	0.65	−0.66	1.96	0.67	−0.88	2.23	0.30	−1.61	2.20

RMDQ = Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire; HTQ = Harvard Trauma Questionnaire; NRS = Mean pain intensity on a

Numerical Rating Scale; PCS = Pain Catastrophising Scale; HADS-D/A = Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

*P < 0.05. SE = Somatic Experiencing®; Phys = Physiotherapy (reference group).

Figure 2. Marginal means and confidence intervals for pain-related disability by treatment group and time point.

Marginal means and 95% confidence intervals on the RMDQ (Roland morris disability questionnaire). T0 = baseline before randomisation, T1 = 6-month follow up, T2 = 12-month follow up. SE+Phys = Somatic Experiencing® + Physiotherapy, Phys = physiotherapy.

Figure 3. Marginal Means and Confidence Intervals for PTSD by Treatment Group and Time Point

Marginal means and 95% confidence intervals on the RMDQ (Roland morris disability questionnaire). T0 = baseline before randomisation, T1 = 6-month follow up, T2 = 12-month follow up. SE+Phys = Somatic Experiencing® + Physiotherapy, Phys = physiotherapy.