{
  "abstract": "Background/Objectives: Before permanent implantation of a Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) system for treatment of chronic pain conditions a trial phase is standard, though its utility is increasingly disputed. Comparisons of long-term to trial-phase pain levels are sparse, and whether trial pain scores predict system explantation risk is unclear. We compare long-term and trial-phase pain levels in SCS treatment and investigate association between trial numeric rating scale (NRS) pain score and explantation. Methods: This retrospective, single-centre study analysed patients who underwent SCS implantation with long-term follow-up. Patients were included if baseline and trial NRS diaries were available and trial phase was successful. Missing follow-up NRS values were extracted from patient files, multiple imputation addressing remaining gaps. ROC analysis, log-rank test, logistic regression, and Cox proportional hazards models evaluated association between trial-phase NRS and explantation. Results: 71 patients (49.3% female, mean age 53.1 ± 13.0 SD years) were included. NRS reduction during trial was −3.52 from baseline [95% CI: −2.94, −4.09] (p < 0.0001). NRS reduction from baseline to long-term follow-up was −1.94 [95% CI: −1.1, −2.74] (p < 0.0001). NRS increased by 1.58 [95% CI: 0.78, 2.38] from trial to follow-up (mean follow-up at 4.42 years [95% CI: 3.53, 5.30]) (p < 0.0002). Higher trial NRS was associated with higher odds of explantation. (Odds Ratio: 1.38 per one-point NRS increase (95% CI: 1.01–2.04, p = 0.0458). Conclusions: In SCS there is significant attrition of pain reduction from trial to long-term follow-up. Higher trial NRS showed a possible association with higher odds of explantation. Therefore, pain reduction during trial phase does not necessarily reflect long-term results and utility of trial-phase pain levels for estimation of explantation risk warrants further investigation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Clinical Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria",
    "Center for Medical Data Science, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090 Vienna, Austria"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sibylle Pramhas",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1412-3648"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Daniela Boryshchuk",
      "orcid": "0009-0003-2987-8490"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zoltan Micskei"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Radoslaw Monte"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sebastian Terner"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Andrea Michalek-Sauberer",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5860-9677"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sabine Sator",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5674-1380"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/19877vtycczrw.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/jcm15218294",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "19877vtycczrw",
  "issns": [
    "2077-0383"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8294",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2703|Pain Management and Treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223948048",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-24",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/19877vtycczrw.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:01Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/jcm15218294",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8294"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2703|Pain Management and Treatment",
      "subfield": "surgery"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Sustainability of Pain Reduction from Trial Stimulation to Long-Term Follow-Up in Chronic Pain Patients with Spinal Cord Stimulation: A Retrospective Analysis",
  "title_text": "Sustainability of Pain Reduction from Trial Stimulation to Long-Term Follow-Up in Chronic Pain Patients with Spinal Cord Stimulation: A Retrospective Analysis",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:01Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/19877vtycczrw",
  "venue": "Journal of Clinical Medicine",
  "versions": []
}