An observational study in Neck Pain, Whiplash and Pain, Acute, sponsored by University of applied sciences. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2022-07-21.
Sponsored by University of applied sciences · Observational
Neck pain-associated disorders (NAD) and whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) are major health problems. NAD has a lifetime prevalence of 54%. Although the majority of patients recovers within the first three months, a minority develops persistent pain. WAD, in contrast, is reported less frequently, but patients are often suffering more badly. Patients with chronic symptoms represent a considerable burden in terms of pain, suffering, health care needs, and social costs. Findings on the natural course of NAD and WAD reflect the necessity to identify factors besides pain related to the persistence of symptoms. First, alterations of input and processing of multiple sensory modalities causing movement control impairment can result in persistent symptoms and affect the quality of life. Besides, findings of psychosocial factors predictive of pain outcomes support the growing body of research proposing a bidirectional relationship between somatic and psychosocial variables. In particular, there is a pressing need to investigate pain-related activity patterns, besides fear-avoidance behavior in NAD and WAD. Maladaptive activity pattern have an impact on on pain and disability in the long-term prognosis. Mt important, given the high prevalence of NAD and WAD, the cortical representation of the cervical spine has not yet been investigated and, reports on neuroplasticity remain scarce. These shortcomings should be addressed to provide evidence for the temporal aspect of neuroplasticity and its involvement in pain persistence.
Hypotheses:
We hypothesize I. that impaired sensorimotor abilities, mental health at baseline increase pain intensity and disability during measurement.
II. that maladaptive pain-related activity patterns avoidance and overactivity at baseline are prognostic factors for pain persistence and disability.
III. that the WAD cohort shows more depression, anxiety and stress compared to the NAD cohort.
The proposed project comprises two parts. The prospective study will assess clinical and cognitive behavioral data at four time points (1-3-6-12 months) after the onset of pain. Part I investigates sensorimotor functioning and cognitive-behavioral variables in NAD and WAD, using state-of-the-art clinical assessments and questionnaires presented in an online survey. Part II explores for the first time the representation of the cervical spine in a control group and, subsequently investigates neuroplastic changes in sensorimotor networks. The association of clinical testing, questionnaire, and neuroimaging data may act as indicative factors for the development of persistent symptoms in NAD and WAD, respectively protective mechanisms in a remission of symptoms. We aim to gain insights into the time-related process of NAD and WAD - its similarities and differences - resulting from the changes in sensory processing, movement performance, and their interaction with cognitive-behavioral factors. The prospective approach might shed light on time dependent processes during the transition from acute to a persistent pain state. The proposed research is user-driven and has the potential to be translated into a target group-oriented assessment and treatment of NAD and WAD by a variety of health care professionals.
Primary Aims:
I. To observe functional, clinical, and psychosocial variables by using clinical tests and online surveys for 12 months in acute NAD and WAD cohorts in the working-age population.
II. To investigate the course and stability of pain-related activity patterns III. Compare functional, clinical, and psychosocial variables between NAD and WAD cohorts.
Experimental time points:
The proposed study design is an observational longitudinal cohort study investigating functional, clinical, and psychosocial factors in NAD and WAD patients over one year. The study protocol comprises four-measurement points at 1-3-6-12 months after the onset of pain.
Recruitment process:
In a simple random sampling, patients will be recruited from local physiotherapists and general practitioners (GP) when presenting with NAD and WAD. Furthermore, information flyers and posters will be distributed in various medical associations (hospitals, massage practice). Then, we will use e-mail distribution within affiliates of the University of Zurich and the ZHAW. Finally, we will call on different social media channels like Facebook and Twitter.
Psychometric instruments We will collect demographic and questionnaire data using the online survey tool REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture, https://projectredcap.org/software/), widely used in the academic research community for flexible and robust data collection. The application of online surveys reduces costs and time, including automated checks for plausibility and completeness. Participants are more diverse demographically than the paper-and-pencil method, and both ways revealed similar results.
1,360 studies on the registry are indexed under Neck Pain; 299 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 168 is above the median of 90 across 226 observational studies indexed under Neck Pain.
Browse Neck Pain studies →This is the only study on the registry with University of applied sciences as lead sponsor.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Subjects with acute NAD or acute WAD, 18-65 years old with the ability to read, write, and understand German.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
neck pain without an acceleration-deceleration mechanism
Other: no intervention
neck pain resulting from a traumatic acceleration-deceleration mechanism and classified as WAD Grade I-III on the modified Quebec Task Force Scale
Other: no intervention
there are no interventions planned, we observe the patients in a cohort study which is named inception cohort study because we test participants before the condition develops.
Pain intensity
Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). The NRS is a single 11- point numeric scale ranging from 0 to 10, with 0 representing "no pain" and 10 representing "worst pain you can imagine".
Time frame: 1 year
Disability
German version of the Neck Disability Index (NDI-G). The self-administered questionnaire consists of 10 items referring to various activities (personal care, lifting, driving, work, sleeping, concentration, reading, recreation) and pain (pain intensity, headache) with 6 possible answers per item. Each item is scored from 0 (no pain and no functional limitation) to 5 (worst pain and maximal limitation) points resulting in a minimal score of 0 points (no disability) to a maximum possible score of 50 points (totally disabled)
Time frame: 1 year
Plan to share: Undecided
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jul 2022. 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.