• Mattia Bisconti, Massimo Esposto, Andrea Tamborrino, Fabrizio Brindisino, Giuseppe Giovannico, and Stefano Salvioli.
• Department of Medicine and Health Science "Vincenzo Tiberio", University of Molise, Campobasso.
• Clin J Pain. 2024 Oct 1; 40 (10): 607617607-617.

ObjectivesNonspecific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) is associated with psychological and social factors such as social support. However, little research has focused on the latter. This article aimed to review the literature on the association between social support and clinical outcomes of patients with NSCLBP, particularly regarding differences in sex, gender, and types of social support.MethodsMEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and CENTRAL were searched until April 19, 2024, without restrictions of time or language. Eligible articles were observational studies reporting measures of association between social support and clinical outcomes among adults with NSCLBP. Risk of bias was assessed using the QUIPS tool, and findings were analyzed qualitatively. This systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022363210).ResultsOf the 3528 identified studies, 11 were included in the review (1290 patients), showing a moderate to high risk of bias. Of the 5 studies showing a significant finding for pain, 4 reported a negative correlation (r=-0.18, -0.32, -0.35, -0.36) and 1 did not report any association index. Of the 6 studies showing a significant finding for disability, 2 reported a negative correlation (r=-0.29, -0.42), 2 reported a positive association (r=0.322; β=0.29), and 2 did not report any association index. No data was available for the investigated subgroups or secondary clinical outcomes.DiscussionSmall associations were found between social support and clinical outcomes of individuals with NSCLBP. Further research is needed to establish its clinical relevance according to types of social support, sex, and gender.Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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