An observational study in Whiplash Injuries, sponsored by University Ghent. Terminated at 1 site in Belgium. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-01-12.
Sponsored by University Ghent · Observational
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.
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.
5,056 studies on the registry are indexed under Wounds and Injuries; 861 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 37 is below the median of 135 across 1,597 observational studies indexed under Wounds and Injuries.
Browse Wounds and Injuries studies →University Ghent is the lead sponsor of 345 studies on the registry; 85 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Whiplash injury is a type of neck injury caused by sudden movement of the head forwards, backwards or sideways (i.e. motor vehicle accident)
Whiplash patients
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Healthy volunteers: (matched for age and gender). Additional exclusion criteria include for healthy volunteers
This will group will consists of people who have a remission of their symptoms at 6-months follow-up after whiplash injury.
Diagnostic Test: Brain MRI (neuroimaging)
This will group will consists of people who develop persistent symptoms at 6-months follow-up after whiplash injury.
Diagnostic Test: Brain MRI (neuroimaging)
Structural and functional brain scans will be taken.
Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal (functional MRI) during picture imagination task and during resting state
Change between baseline assessment (within 4 weeks after the trauma) and the 6-months follow-up assessment.
Time frame: Baseline and 6-months follow-up
Structural MRI measures (i.e., grey and white matter)
Change between baseline assessment (within 4 weeks after the trauma) and the 6-months follow-up assessment.
Time frame: Baseline and 6-months follow-up
This study is terminated, as verified in Jan 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
University Ghent