To the Editor: The article by Dr Ghoname and
colleagues1 advocating consideration of
PENS in the treatment of chronic appears to have limited generalizability.
The patients were relatively young, and therefore the findings may not be
applicable to the many elderly persons who comprise a significant group of
patients with chronic LBP. In addition, the authors used a visual analog scale
to monitor pain response. A 100-point numerical rating scale2
is easier for most patients (especially the elderly) to complete, and is easier
for examiners to score.