title: Is multimodal care effective for the management of patients with whiplash-associated disorders or neck pain and associated disorders? A systematic review by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration.
abstract: Little is known about the effectiveness of multimodal care for individuals with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) and neck pain and associated disorders (NAD).
  
  
  
  To update findings of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders and evaluate the effectiveness of multimodal care for the management of patients with WAD or NAD.
  
  
  
  Systematic review and best-evidence synthesis.
  
  
  
  We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, and case-control studies.
  
  
  
  Self-rated recovery, functional recovery (eg, disability, return to activities, work, or school), pain intensity, health-related quality of life, psychological outcomes (eg, depression, fear), or adverse events.
  
  
  
  We systematically searched five electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) from 2000 to 2013. RCTs, cohort, and case-control studies meeting our selection criteria were eligible for critical appraisal. Random pairs of independent reviewers critically appraised eligible studies using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network criteria. Scientifically admissible studies were summarized using evidence tables and synthesized following best-evidence synthesis principles.
  
  
  
  We retrieved 2,187 articles, and 23 articles were eligible for critical appraisal. Of those, 18 articles from 14 different RCTs were scientifically admissible. There were a total of 31 treatment arms, including 27 unique multimodal programs of care. Overall, the evidence suggests that multimodal care that includes manual therapy, education, and exercise may benefit patients with grades I and II WAD and NAD. General practitioner care that includes reassurance, advice to stay active, and resumption of regular activities may be an option for the early management of WAD grades I and II. Our synthesis suggests that patients receiving high-intensity health care tend to experience poorer outcomes than those who receive fewer treatments for WAD and NAD.
  
  
  
  Multimodal care can benefit patients with WAD and NAD with early or persistent symptoms. The evidence does not indicate that one multimodal care package is superior to another. Clinicians should avoid high utilization of care for patients with WAD and NAD.
authors.affiliation: UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1; Division of Graduate Education and Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1. Electronic address: deborah.sutton@uoit.ca.
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.affiliation: UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), 2000 Simcoe St N, Science Building, Room 3000, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Health Economics and Technology Assessment (THETA) Collaborative, Leslie Dan Pharmacy Building, University of Toronto, 6th Floor, Room 658, 144 College St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 3M2.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Côté
authors.affiliation: UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1; Division of Graduate Education and Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1.
authors.forename: Jessica J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1; Division of Graduate Education and Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1.
authors.forename: Sharanya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Varatharajan
authors.affiliation: UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1; Division of Graduate Education and Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1.
authors.forename: Kristi A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Randhawa
authors.affiliation: UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1; Division of Graduate Education and Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1.
authors.forename: Hainan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1; Division of Graduate Education and Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Southerst
authors.affiliation: UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1; Division of Graduate Education and Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1.
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Shearer
authors.affiliation: Toronto Health Economics and Technology Assessment (THETA) Collaborative, Leslie Dan Pharmacy Building, University of Toronto, 6th Floor, Room 658, 144 College St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 3M2; Faculty of Pharmacy, Leslie Dan Pharmacy Building, University of Toronto, 2nd Floor, 144 College St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 3M2; Institute for Work and Health, 481 University Ave, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5G 2E9.
authors.forename: Gabrielle M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: van der Velde
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Occupational and Industrial Orthopedic Center, NYU School of Medicine, New York University, 63 Downing Street, New York, NY, USA, 10014; Department of Environmental Medicine, Occupational and Industrial Orthopedic Center, NYU School of Medicine, New York University, 63 Downing Street, New York, NY, USA, 10014.
authors.forename: Margareta C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences and Alberta Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 4075 RTG, 8308-114 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1.
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.affiliation: Division of Graduate Education and Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), 2000 Simcoe St N, Science Building, Room 3000, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Silvano A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mior
authors.affiliation: UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1.
authors.forename: Anne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Taylor-Vaisey
authors.affiliation: UOIT-CMCC Centre for the Study of Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1; Division of Graduate Education and Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC), 6100 Leslie St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stupar
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Multimodal care; Neck pain and associated disorders; Outcome; Recovery; Systematic review; Whiplash-associated disorders