UNASSIGNED: Of 65 patients who visited a university hospital for persistent whiplash injury-induced axial neck pain sustained 3-12 months after injury (numeric rating scale score ≥3) and had received intra-articular facet joint corticosteroid injection, 40 completed the telephone interview. We divided the patients into \"good response group\" (≥50% pain reduction at 1 month after the injection) and \"poor response group\" (<50% pain reduction at 1 month after the injection). We asked participants regarding the presence and degree of neck pain, its impact on work, and the use of oral pain medication or injection treatment.
UNASSIGNED: A follow-up at least 5 years after the injury found that the number of patients with persistent whiplash injury-related neck pain was significantly lower in the good response group than in the poor response group. The number of patients taking oral pain medications prescribed by a medical doctor or receiving injection treatments in a pain clinic or hospital for neck pain was lower in the good response group than in the poor response group. The number of patients who answered that their work was affected by neck pain was lower in the good response group than in the poor response group.
UNASSIGNED: The response to intra-articular corticosteroid injection might be helpful in determining at least 5-year outcomes of chronic whiplash injury-induced pain.
■65例因受伤后3-12个月持续鞭打损伤引起的轴性颈部疼痛(数字评定量表评分≥3分)而到大学医院就诊并接受关节腔内小关节联合皮质类固醇注射的患者,40完成了电话面试。我们将患者分为“反应良好组”(注射后1个月疼痛减轻≥50%)和“反应不良组”(注射后1个月疼痛减轻<50%)。我们询问参与者颈部疼痛的存在和程度,它对工作的影响,并采用口服止痛药或注射治疗。
■受伤后至少5年的随访发现,反应良好组持续鞭打损伤相关颈部疼痛的患者人数明显低于反应不良组。良好反应组服用医生处方的口服止痛药或在疼痛诊所或医院接受颈部疼痛注射治疗的患者人数低于不良反应组。在良好反应组中,回答他们的工作受到颈部疼痛影响的患者人数低于不良反应组。
关节内注射皮质类固醇的反应可能有助于确定慢性鞭打损伤引起的疼痛至少5年的结局。