Shifting Away From Pain: Neurocognitive Approach to Explain and Predict Recovery Following Whiplash Injury

NCT ID: NCT05161767

Last Updated: 2024-01-12

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: TERMINATED
• Total Enrollment: 37 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2020-01-06
• Study Completion Date: 2024-01-10

Brief Summary

Around half of the patients with neck pain after trauma (whiplash) will develop chronic pain. Understanding the transition from acute to chronic pain after whiplash is a priority since will help to identify those which patients are likely to fully recover and who do not. In the last years, there have been a call for an investigation of new biomarkers; particularly in brain structure and function. Alterations in the structure of the brain (gray matter, white matter and cortical thickness) as well as the brain function have been found in people with chronic WAD; which are also correlated with pain, disability and symptoms of central sensitization such as hyperalgesia. Previous research has found structural and functional brain differences between people who develop chronic low back pain compared to those who recovered; but research in this vein is still lacking in people with whiplash. Consequently, this study aims to examine the neural correlates of recovery following whiplash injury.

Detailed Description

This study aims to investigate whether or not there are differences in brain structure and function between people who recover after whiplash and those who do not. Thus, patients with acute neck pain after whiplash will be recruited. Also, a pain-free age- and sex-matched control group will be recruited for comparison.

A longitudinal prospective study will be conducted with two follow-up measurements (3 and 6 months). All measurements will take place at University Hospital of Ghent (UZ Gent), Ghent (Belgium). MRI measures will be taken at baseline (<4 weeks after the accident) and 6-months follow-up. The 3-months follow-up will only consist of the assessment of the online questionnaires; so, patients will not be required to come to UZ Gent.

Conditions

Whiplash Injuries

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Recovered group

This will group will consists of people who have a remission of their symptoms at 6-months follow-up after whiplash injury.

Brain MRI (neuroimaging)

Intervention Type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Structural and functional brain scans will be taken.

non-recovered group

This will group will consists of people who develop persistent symptoms at 6-months follow-up after whiplash injury.

Brain MRI (neuroimaging)

Intervention Type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Structural and functional brain scans will be taken.

Interventions

Brain MRI (neuroimaging)

Structural and functional brain scans will be taken.

Intervention Type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Neck pain within 4 weeks after the trauma
• Native Dutch speaker
• Refraining from consuming caffeine, alcohol and nicotine in the hour before the MRI scans in both measurement times

Exclusion Criteria

• Neuropathic pain
• Being pregnant
• A history of a chronic pain syndrome
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Cardiovascular disorders
• Epilepsy
• Endocrinological disorders
• Rheumatic disorders
• Psychiatric disorders
• History of neck surgery
• Loss of consciousness during/after the whiplash trauma
• MRI incompatible health condition (e.g., pacemaker, metal prosthetic devices)
• Claustrophobia.

• a history of a chronic pain syndrome
• a pain condition in the last six months for which treatment was sought

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University Ghent

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Iris Coppieters, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Vrije Universiteit Brussel, KU Leuven

Locations

Department of rehabilitation sciences (Ghent University)

Ghent, , Belgium

Countries

Belgium

Other Identifiers

B670201941074

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id