Mary Franz - Mar 15th, 2011
It is well-documented that many whiplash patients suffer from depression. The argument has always been that the injury and its painful, life-interrupting symptoms as well as potential disability have been the cause of the depression. However, a recent cohort study sheds light on a new theory. Can depression render a patient more susceptible to whiplash and thus, other chronic spinal conditions?
In the longitudinal population-based cohort study, researchers explored the possibility of "reverse causality." Is it possible that anxiety and depression are directly related to self-reported whiplash injury? Baseline measures on anxiety and depression were collected from the HUNT study as well as self-reported whiplash injury at the beginning and at the 11-year follow-up. The researchers also monitored a comprehensive national registry to determine whether an incident disability pension award was obtained by those who reported whiplash injury.
The researchers found that patients who initially reported anxiety and depression were more likely to report whiplash symptoms 11 years later. Reporting whiplash also increased the chances of receiving a disability award, even when neck pain was absent.
The results dispute previous studies that suggest whiplash causes depression and indicates that perhaps depression may be a predictor of whiplash. More research may help shed light on the many psychological factors that play into a whiplash diagnosis.
Mykletun A, Glozier N, Wenzel HG, Overland S, Harvey SB, Wessely S, Hotopf M. Reverse causality in the association between whiplash and symptoms of anxiety and depression. The HUNT study. Spine. 2011 Jan 5.
[rss]