title: A prospective cohort study of the outcome of acute whiplash injury in Greece.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An earlier pilot study suggested that the late whiplash syndrome is uncommon in Greece. The purpose of the present study is to extend the evaluation to a larger sample, and include the prevalence of specific symptoms in the evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective, cohort study, a total of 180 accident victims were consecutively recruited following Emergency ward presentation. A standard questionnaire asked about neck pain, headache, shoulder pain, limb numbness or pain, and dizziness. Accident victims were followed for 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the initial 4 weeks after the accident, accident victims reported neck pain, headache, shoulder pain, arm numbness or pain, and dizziness, but at 4 weeks more than 90% had recovered from these, the remainder of the subjects having minor symptoms (not requiring therapy), and returning to their pre-accident state of health (which included minor symptoms). There were no cases of chronic disability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Greece, symptoms after an acute whiplash injury are self-limiting, brief, and do not appear to evolve into the so-called late whiplash syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Partheni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Constantoyannis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nikiforidis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Voulgaris
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papadakis
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004244:Dizziness / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000503:physiopathology; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D012782:Shoulder / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*