ABSTRACT
Background and Objective
After whiplash injury, some patients develop chronic Whiplash Associated Disorders. The exact pathophysiology of this chronification is still unclear and more knowledge is needed regarding the different post-injury phases. Therefore, studies were searched that examined temporal changes in pain processing, measured by Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST).
Databases and Data Treatment
This systematic review searched three electronic databases (Medline, Web of Science, and Embase) for articles meeting the eligibility requirements. Risk of bias was assessed according to a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.
Results
The twelve included studies presented moderate to good methodological quality. These studies showed altered pain processing within the first month after injury and normalization within three months in 59 to 78% of the patients. After three months, recovery stagnates during the following years. Thermal and widespread mechanical hyperalgesia occur already in the acute phase, but only in eventually non-recovered patients.
Conclusions
Differences in pain processing between recovering and non-recovering patients can be observed already in the acute phase. Early screening for signs of altered pain processing can identify patients with high risk for chronification. These insights in temporal changes show the importance of rehabilitation in the acute phase. Future research should target to develop a standardized (bed-site) QST protocol and collect normative data which could, in relation with self-reported pain parameters, allow clinicians to identify the risk for chronification.
from Wiley: European Journal of Pain: Table of Contents https://ift.tt/3Bv0Z1e
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