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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term predictive value of The Danish Whiplash Group Risk Assessment Score (DWGRAS) with 7 risk-strata.
DESIGN: E-questionnaire based follow-up study (n=927) combining two cohorts of whiplash injured subjects, one observational (n=187) one interventional RCT (n=740).
METHODS: 927 previously healthy persons exposed to acute whiplash injury during motor vehicle collision were sent letter by postal service asking the addressee if they would respond to an e-questionnaire. Outcome measures were: whiplash-related disability, pain, use of medication/non-medical treatment, work-capacity.
RESULTS: The response rate was 37%. Fifty-five percent reported whiplash-related disability. Fourteen percent reported daily complaints. A strong relationship was found between risk-strata and Impact of Event and between risk strata and disabling symptoms.
CONCLUSION: Internal and long-term validation of DWGRAS has now been performed, but a low response rate of 37% indicates that results should be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, external validation needs to be done in long-term studies. A ROC curve of 0.73 (CI95 0.67; 0.79) predicting daily or weekly whiplash related disability after 12-14 years was found using the DWGRAS Risk Score.
Language: en |