TY - JOUR
T1 - Higher Neck Pain Intensity and Pain Catastrophizing Soon After A Whiplash Injury Partially Explain the Presence of Persistent Headache
T2 - A Prospective Study
AU - Anarte-Lazo, Ernesto
AU - Falla, Deborah
AU - Rodriguez-Blanco, Cleofas
AU - Bernal-Utrera, Carlos
N1 - Copyright:
© 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2024/3/11
Y1 - 2024/3/11
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To understand whether pain-related factors soon after a whiplash injury can explain the presence of chronic headache.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study with a follow-up of 6 months was performed including 42 patients with acute whiplash-associated disorders. Neck pain intensity, the Neck Disability Index, the Tampa Scale Kinesiophobia, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Anxiety State-Trait Scale were assessed at baseline. Differences in clinical characteristics between those with and without headache at 6 months were determined. The relative risk of presenting with headache was evaluated. A logistic regression model was performed to assess which factors at baseline could explain the presence of headache at 6 months.RESULTS: At 6 months, 1/3 of the sample presented with chronic headache. Significant differences were found for several outcome measures when people with and without headache were compared (P<0.001). The highest relative risk of presenting with headache was found for moderate/severe levels of pain catastrophizing during the acute phase (RR=15.00, 95%CI=3.93, 57.22). The level of neck pain intensity and pain catastrophizing at baseline partially explained the presence of headache at 6 months (R2=0.627).DISCUSSION: The risk of presenting with persistent headache attributed to a whiplash injury is increased when people present with higher neck pain intensity and pain catastrophizing soon after a whiplash injury. Evaluating neck pain intensity and pain catastrophizing at baseline may assist in identifying those more likely to develop chronic headache, potentially providing an opportunity for early targeted interventions.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To understand whether pain-related factors soon after a whiplash injury can explain the presence of chronic headache.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study with a follow-up of 6 months was performed including 42 patients with acute whiplash-associated disorders. Neck pain intensity, the Neck Disability Index, the Tampa Scale Kinesiophobia, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Anxiety State-Trait Scale were assessed at baseline. Differences in clinical characteristics between those with and without headache at 6 months were determined. The relative risk of presenting with headache was evaluated. A logistic regression model was performed to assess which factors at baseline could explain the presence of headache at 6 months.RESULTS: At 6 months, 1/3 of the sample presented with chronic headache. Significant differences were found for several outcome measures when people with and without headache were compared (P<0.001). The highest relative risk of presenting with headache was found for moderate/severe levels of pain catastrophizing during the acute phase (RR=15.00, 95%CI=3.93, 57.22). The level of neck pain intensity and pain catastrophizing at baseline partially explained the presence of headache at 6 months (R2=0.627).DISCUSSION: The risk of presenting with persistent headache attributed to a whiplash injury is increased when people present with higher neck pain intensity and pain catastrophizing soon after a whiplash injury. Evaluating neck pain intensity and pain catastrophizing at baseline may assist in identifying those more likely to develop chronic headache, potentially providing an opportunity for early targeted interventions.
U2 - 10.1097/AJP.0000000000001209
DO - 10.1097/AJP.0000000000001209
M3 - Article
C2 - 38465710
SN - 0749-8047
JO - Clinical Journal of Pain
JF - Clinical Journal of Pain
ER -