• Evelina Pajediene, Jolita Janusauskaite, Gintaute Samusyte, Kestutis Stasaitis, Kestutis Petrikonis, and Indre Bileviciute-Ljungar.
• Neurology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 443 07 Kaunas, Lithuania.
• J Rehabil Med. 2015 Jan 1;47(1):52-7.

ObjectiveTo investigate acute whiplash-associated disorder in the Lithuanian population who are unaware of the phenomenon.DesignControlled cohort study.Subjects/PatientsSeventy-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.MethodsClinical 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.ResultsSixty-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.ConclusionRoad 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.

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