Recruiting

Observational Study

Sponsor:

Washington University School of Medicine

Code:

NCT05991440

Conditions

Chronic Pain

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Study Details

Brief summary:

The purpose of this research study is to gain a better understanding of how people's racial background and socioeconomic status (e.g., income, education, and employment) impact their experiences of chronic low back pain (cLBP).

Conditions

Chronic Pain

Study ID

NCT05991440

Start date

Apr 22, 2024

Status verified date

Jul, 2026

Completion date

Dec 31, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec 31, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion:

  • Non-specific cLBP that has persisted for at least 3 months and has resulted in pain on at least half the days in the past 6 months.
  • Age 18 - 85; the lower end of this age range was chosen to capture the growing prevalence of young adults with cLBP, and participants over 85 years are increasingly likely to meet one or more exclusion criteria.
  • Participants report ethnic group as non-Hispanic and racial group as either Black/African American or White/Caucasian.

Exclusion:

  • Low back pain that is attributable to other factors such as ankylosing spondylitis, infection, malignancy, compression fracture of other trauma.
  • Systemic rheumatic disease/condition (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, fibromyalgia).
  • Any other chronic pain condition that the participant believes to be more prominent or severe than the low back pain.
  • A history of clinically significant surgery to the low back within the past year.
  • Uncontrolled hypertension (i.e. SBP/DBP of > 150/95), cardiovascular or peripheral arterial disease.
  • Poorly controlled diabetes (HbA1c > 8%).
  • Neurological disease (e.g. Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy).
  • Serious psychiatric disorder requiring hospitalization within the past 12 months or characterized by active suicidal ideation.
  • Diminished cognitive function that would interfere with understanding of study procedures.

Study Design

Enrollment

240 participants

Anticipated

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Primary outcome measure

  • To elucidate racial group disparities in clinical symptoms among NHBs and NHWs with cLBP. [ Time Frame: two years ]
  • To elucidate racial group disparities in experimental pain sensitivity among NHBs and NHWs with cLBP. [ Time Frame: two years ]
  • To elucidate racial group disparities in psychosocial risk factors, among NHBs and NHWs with cLBP. [ Time Frame: two years ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Burel R Goodin, PhD

314-273-6403burel@wustl.edu

Locations

Washington University School of Medicine

Recruiting

St Louis, Missouri, United States, 63110

Contacts

Burel R Goodin, PhD

314-273-6403burel@wustl.edu

Principal Investigator:

Burel R Goodin, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

Washington University School of Medicine

Last update posted

Jul 13, 2026

Last verified

Jul, 2026

Keywords

  • lower back pain
  • Race
  • Socioeconomic

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Washington University School of Medicine on 2026-07-13.