Why Does Acute Postwhiplash Injury Pain Transform into Chronic Pain Multimodal Assessment of Risk Factors and Predictors of Pain Chronification

Abstract : This project aims to find why some acute mTBI patients turn into chronic pain patients, and others do not. We recruit patients immediately after the accident, and get them through clinical, psychophysical and psychological assessment, brain MRI, EEG, and genetic tests. We then follow up on the pain levels along one year. All clinical work is done in Israel, analysis is done in cooperation with leading teams in the US, Canada and Australia. In the first year, the study underwent complex administrative steps including building up a dedicated team, and approval of all required actions. Practically, recruitment has started towards the end of year one, and so far 54 patients were recruited, out of which 34 are in the study. Communication with the international research team is ongoing, and cumulative data has been, or being passed for their assessment on an ongoing basis. There is still not enough data to justify interim analyses. We expect to substantially accelerate the the recruitment rate in the second year of the project.