Comparison of randomized treatments for late whiplash

Pato, U; Di Stefano, G; Fravi, N; Arnold, M; Curatolo, M; Radanov, B P; Ballinari, P; Sturzenegger, M (2010). Comparison of randomized treatments for late whiplash. Neurology, 74(15), pp. 1223-30. Hagerstown, Md.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181d8ffe0

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BACKGROUND: To compare 4 different treatment strategies in patients with late whiplash syndrome. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to one of the following treatment groups: infiltration, physiotherapy, or medication. Group allocation was stratified according to gender, age, and education. Additionally, patients of each group were randomized 1:1 to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or no CBT. Patients were assessed at baseline, after an 8-week treatment period, and 3 and 6 months later. Main outcome measures were subjective outcome rating, pain intensity, and working ability. RESULTS: Of 91 enrolled patients, 73 completed the study; 62% were women. After treatment, 47 patients (64%) were subjectively improved (48%), or free of symptoms (16%), with a preponderance of women (73% vs 50%, p = 0.047). There was no difference regarding outcomes among the 3 treatment groups in men and women. The most robust difference was achieved with CBT, associated with a higher rate of recovery (23% vs 9%), and improvement (53% vs 42%) (p = 0.024), and with a gender difference (p = 0.01). All treatments significantly improved pain intensity and working ability. CONCLUSION: Intensive therapy in late whiplash syndrome can achieve improvement of different outcome measures including working ability in two-thirds of patients, more effective in women, persisting beyond 6 months in half. Additional cognitive-behavioral therapy was the most effective treatment modality. Classification of evidence: This interventional study provides Class III evidence that CBT used as an adjunct to infiltration, medication, or physiotherapy increases improvement rates in persons with late whiplash syndrome.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine and Anaesthesiology (DINA) > Clinic and Policlinic for Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy 04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy > Psychiatric Neurophysiology [discontinued] 04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Head Organs and Neurology (DKNS) > Clinic of Neurology
UniBE Contributor:	Curatolo, Michele, Ballinari, Pietro, Sturzenegger, Matthias
ISSN:	0028-3878
Publisher:	Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Language:	English
Submitter:	Jeannie Wurz
Date Deposited:	04 Oct 2013 14:08
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:00
Publisher DOI:	10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181d8ffe0
PubMed ID:	20385894
Web of Science ID:	000276531400011
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/386 (FactScience: 197900)