Neuromuscular Mechanisms Underlying Poor Recovery From Whiplash Injuries

Northwestern University

Status

Completed

Conditions

Whiplash

Whiplash Associated Disorders

WAD

Treatments

Device: Pedometer

Device: MRI

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

NIH

Identifiers

NCT02157038

STU00090769

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is investigating whether changes in the shape and size of bodily muscles and spinal cord anatomy can influence recovery rates following a motor vehicle collision (MVC). The objective is to demonstrate that the presence of muscle and spinal cord degeneration and associated muscle weakness is the consequence of a mild MVC-related injury involving the cervical spinal cord.

Full description

Whiplash is a condition that consists of patients that display varying degrees of pain and disability. Most patients should expect full-recovery within the first 2-3 months post injury. At the other end of the spectrum is a group of patients (~ 25%) who continue to have moderate-severe pain-related disability in the long-term. Reasons for this transition to chronicity are largely unknown. The situation would benefit if there were radiological findings of the disorder. However, clear and consistent findings of injured tissues on standard radiological exams remain elusive.

As part of this study, the investigators will innovatively investigate measures to 1) quantify the temporal development of widespread muscle degeneration, 2) identify quantifiable markers of altered cervical spinal cord physiology, 3) quantify reductions in central activation and fatigue 4) evaluate potential genetic variants that may be associated with chronic pain after a MVC and 5) determine the mediational influence of psychosocial factors on recovery rates following whiplash injury, as a potential mechanism underlying the transition to chronic pain.

Enrollment

97 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 65 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Males and Females (18 - 65 years of age)
Individuals less than one week post MVA with a primary complaint of neck pain.
Able to give written informed consent and complete interviews in English

Exclusion criteria

Individuals with a spinal fracture from the MVA, or spinal surgeries
History of one or more MVAs or previous diagnosis of cervical or lumbar radiculopathy
History of neurological disorders (e.g. Multiple Sclerosis, previous stroke, myelopathy), inflammatory diseases (e.g. Hepatitis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Rheumatoid Arthritis or Osteoarthritis, Alzheimers, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Crohn's disease, Fibromyalgia) or metabolic disorders (e.g. Diabetes, hyper- and hypo-thyroidism)
Standard contraindications to MRI: claustrophobia, metallic implants, pacemaker and pregnancy.