Acute headache attributed to whiplash in arcuate foramen and non-arcuate foramen subjects.
To test the association between arcuate foramen (AF) in the first cervical vertebra with acute headache attributed to whiplash.



Retrospective study of 128 patients that suffered a whiplash. The presence or absence of AF was recorded after a radiographic study, as well as the presence or absence of acute headache after the whiplash.



The frequency of AF was 17.2%. Patients with bilateral AF presented a significant (p = 0.000, Fisher's test) increase in the frequency of acute headache (90.9%) in comparison with the non-AF group (5.7%). The ratio between the presence and absence of acute headache was 166.6 times higher (IC 95% 18.2-1526.22) in subjects with bilateral AF in comparison with non-AF subjects.



The presence of bilateral AF is associated to an increased frequency of acute headache after suffering a whiplash, information of interest for the attention to these patients.
Paleoanthropology Group, National Museum of Natural Sciences-Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, Spain.|Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Luis
L
Ríos
Radiology Department, University San Vicente Martir, Valencia, Spain.|CT and MRI Unit, ERESA, Valencia, Spain.
Federico
F
Mata-Escolano
Department of Radiology, University Hospital de La Ribera, Alzira, Valencia, Spain.
Esther
E
Blanco-Pérez
Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Susanna
S
Llidó
Paleoanthropology Group, National Museum of Natural Sciences-Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, Spain.
Markus
M
Bastir
Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. juan.sanchis@uv.es.
Juan A
0000-0002-2599-8474
JA
Sanchis-Gimeno
D000208:Acute Disease; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000150:complications*
Acute headache; Arcuate foramen; Cervical spine; Whiplash