Status:
RECRUITING
A Superiority Trial of Radiofrequency Ablation for Low Back Pain
Lead Sponsor:
University of Washington
Collaborating Sponsors:
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Conditions:
Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP)
Eligibility:
All Genders
18+ years
Phase:
NA
Brief Summary
The purpose of the ASTRAL Study is to evaluate the effectiveness of LRFA (Lumbar radiofrequency ablation) against a control procedure. The ASTRAL Study will enroll individuals with chronic low back pa...
Detailed Description
Low back pain is the #1 contributor to years lived with disability in the United States. Lumbar radiofrequency ablation (LRFA) is a minimally invasive procedure for chronic low back pain (CLBP) common...
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion
- Age ≥18 years
- CLBP of duration ≥ 3 months. Low back pain is defined as occurring between the lower posterior margin of the rib cage and the horizontal gluteal fold.
- Low back pain intensity numerical rating scale (NRS) ≥ 4 with one of the following prior to LRFA: 1) Current low back pain intensity, 2) Average pain over past 7 days, OR 3) Pain intensity without specification of recall period
- Has had conservative treatments for CLBP (physical therapy, exercise therapy, spinal manipulation, massage, acupuncture, etc.)
- Candidate for unilateral LRFA (L1-S1 joints; ≤3 levels); or bilateral LRFA (L1-S1 joints; ≤2 levels)
- 'Positive responses' (≥80% improvement of CLBP pain intensity) to 2 sets of anesthetic-only MBBs (≤0.5cc of local anesthetic)
- Able to read, speak, and understand English sufficient for informed consent purposes
- Stated willingness to comply with all study processes and availability for the duration of the study, and provision of a signed and dated informed consent form
Exclusion
- CLBP attributed primarily to specific spine-related conditions (radiculopathy, lumbar spinal stenosis, spinal instability), 'red flag' conditions (infection / malignancy / fracture), and/or inflammatory arthritis (RA, SpA, etc.)
- Prior LRFA
- Prior lumbar facet joint (intra-articular or medial branch nerve) corticosteroid injections (past 6 months)
- Surgery involving one or more of spinal levels where LRFA is to be performed, in the past 2 years
- Lumbar fusion involving the spinal levels where LRFA is considered, at any time
- Prior known severe lumbar central canal stenosis on MRI as defined by Lee (2011): obliteration of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and marked compression of dural sac, and none of the cauda equina can be visually separated from each other. No new MRIs would be done specifically as part of the study processes.
- Prior formal diagnosis of fibromyalgia by a rheumatologist (diagnosis by primary care physician or pain medicine specialist is not sufficient)
- Unstable psychiatric or terminal medical conditions that would limit study participation and the likelihood of follow-up for 12 months post-randomization
- Pregnancy, being a prisoner, or having a prior formal diagnosis of cognitive impairment by a neuropsychologist or neurologist, confirmed by health record documentation
- Participant report of prior formal diagnosis of cognitive impairment by a neuropsychologist or neurologist can be obtained, but participant-reported cognitive impairment by a neuropsychologist or neurologist must be confirmed via health record documentation. No new evaluations for cognitive impairment would be done specifically as part of the study processes.
- Contraindication to local anesthetic, corticosteroid, or any aspects of LRFA
- Cannot reach MBB targets with 11.9cm needle
- Major planned life events over the next 4 months that might interfere with study participation (e.g., major abdominal or chest surgery or extended vacation)
Key Trial Info
Start Date :
January 1 2026
Trial Type :
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation :
ESTIMATED
End Date :
August 1 2029
Estimated Enrollment :
300 Patients enrolled
Trial Details
Trial ID
NCT07222462
Start Date
January 1 2026
End Date
August 1 2029
Last Update
December 24 2025
Active Locations (3)
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1
Emory Musculoskeletal Institute
Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30329
2
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44195
3
University of Utah Orthopaedic Center/PM&R
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84108