Article

Patients with chronic Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD) report
symptoms and disability. Neither the relationship between self-reported
disability and functional capacity, nor its predictors have been investigated in
patients with WAD. This was the purpose of this study.
METHOD: This was a
cross-sectional study. Participants were patients with WAD on sick leave.
Self-reported disability was assessed with the Neck Disability Index (NDI).
Functional capacity was assessed with a six-item neck functional capacity
evaluation (FCE). Correlation coefficients were used to express the relationship
between NDI (total and items) and FCE. Multivariate linear regression analyses
were performed to identify independent predictors of NDI and FCE. RESULTS: Forty
patients were measured, of whom 18 (45 %) were male. Mean age was 33 years,
median duration of complaints was 12 months, and 75 % had a pending insurance
claim. Correlations between NDI and FCE tests varied from -0.39 to -0.70.
Independent predictors of NDI were pain intensity and a pending claim, explaining
43 % of the variance. independent predictors of fce were ndi, gender, and pain
intensity, explaining 20-55 % of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported
disability and functional capacity are related but different. Both can part be
predicted by pain intensity. A pending claim can predict higher self-reported
disability. Both constructs are complementary and are recommended to determine
disability in patients with WAD comprehensively.

Langue : ANGLAIS