title: Patterns of acute whiplash-associated disorder in the Lithuanian population after road traffic accidents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate acute whiplash-associated disorder in the Lithuanian population who are unaware of the phenomenon.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-one patients were enrolled from the emergency departments of the Kaunas region of Lithuania following road traffic accidents, examined within 3-14 days after the accident, and compared with 53 matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical neurological examination, including range of motion and motion-evoked pain or stiffness in the neck; spontaneous pain and pain pressure threshold. Questionnaires: Quebec Task Force questionnaire (QTFQ); Disability Rating Index (DRI); Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ); Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and health perception.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-six of 71 (93%) patients developed acute symptoms. The most frequent symptoms found after road traffic accidents were neck or shoulder pain; reduced or painful neck movements, including decreased range of motion; multiple subjective symptoms according to QTFQ and significantly reduced pain threshold. Perceived health status was decreased and DRI was increased, while HADS showed a significantly higher risk of developing anxiety. Higher grade whiplash-associated disorder was linked with a greater reduction in range of motion and more prominent neck pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Road traffic accidents induce whiplash-associated disorder in patients who seek help, but who are unaware of the condition whiplash-associated disorder. Whiplash-associated disorder should be considered and treated as an entity per se.
authors.affiliation: Neurology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 443 07 Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Evelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pajediene
authors.forename: Jolita
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Janusauskaite
authors.forename: Gintaute
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Samusyte
authors.forename: Kestutis
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stasaitis
authors.forename: Kestutis
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petrikonis
authors.forename: Indre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bileviciute-Ljungar
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000503:physiopathology; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D017288:Pain Threshold; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult