A cut-off point of blood glucose levels as predictive for central sensitization for chronic low back pain patients and subgroups for pain-related outcomes, nutrition- related outcomes, physical activity and body composition

Abstract

Chronic low back pain, lasting beyond the normal healing time, significantly impacts individuals and society. Despite available treatments, many suffer long-term, prompting the need for alternative approaches. Unhealthy dietary habits and high blood glucose levels are linked to chronic pain, but the specific connections remain unclear. The glycemic response, reflecting post-meal blood glucose levels, varies among individuals and is associated with chronic health issues. This study aims to investigate a cut-off point of blood glucose levels as predictive for central sensitization for chronic low back pain patients and subgroups for pain-related outcomes, nutrition- related outcomes, physical activity, and body composition. The objective of the BEPE proposal is to provide the undergraduate student with the opportunity to learn from a distinguished researcher in musculoskeletal disorders, gaining knowledge in methods of data analysis that differ from the ones used in the original Brazilian proposal, thus complementing the student's competence in clinimetric properties of assessment tools for shoulder pain, such as validity and reliability. The current proposal's data on patients with chronic low back pain has been collected. The undergraduate student from Brazil will actively participate in the ongoing data collection of other trials, engage in the processing and interpretation of data from various research proposals overseen by Prof. Dr. Anneleen Malfliet at the "Pain in Motion Research Group." They will be able to discuss the findings of the original undergraduate proposal developed in Brazil. Through this, both the student and the Brazilian research group should be able to improve their knowledge of chronic musculoskeletal pain assessment and its validity for use in further research.