IMPACT OF EARLY AMBULATION ON THE REDUCTION OF HEADACHE AND BACK PAIN AFTER SPINAL ANAESTHESIA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES

Abstract

Objective: To determine the impact of early ambulation (EA) versus late ambulation on total headache and back pain after spinal anaesthesia. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis, used data Sources such as MEDLINE, CINAhL online, HealthStar, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library Controlled Trials Registry, LILACS and experts. Methods: Published randomized controlled trials in all languages comparing spinal anesthesia patients allocated to any in-hospital early ambulation or a control/standard treatment (bed rest). Four reviewers independently assessed study eligibility and quality; and also performed data extraction. We calculated relative risks (RRs) and 95% confdence intervals (CIs) using the random-effects model. Outcomes: cefalea or back pain 24 h post-spinal anaesthesia. Results: Six studies met our eligibility criteria published between 1988-2008. There were 41 cefalea events (16.9% of 242) and 24 back pain events (21.6% of 111) among patients receiving EM, compared with 54 cefalea events ( 22.3% of 207) and 32 back pain events (27.5% of 116) among spinal patients receiving control treatment (for cefalea RR=0.67, 95% CI 0.44,1.02; and for lumbar pain RR= 0.79, IC 95% 0.46, 1.34). Conclusion: Our meta-analysis suggests that there is a possible beneft towards decreased cefalea and back pain with EA after spinal anaesthesia.