Acute headache attributed to whiplash in arcuate foramen and non-arcuate foramen subjects

Abstract

Purpose To test the association between arcuate foramen (AF) in the first cervical vertebra with acute headache attributed to whiplash.

Methods Retrospective study of 128 patients that suffered a whiplash. The presence or absence of AF was recorded after a radiographic study, as well as the presence or absence of acute headache after the whiplash.

Results The frequency of AF was 17.2%. Patients with bilateral AF presented a significant (p = 0.000, Fisher’s test) increase in the frequency of acute headache (90.9%) in comparison with the non-AF group (5.7%). The ratio between the presence and absence of acute headache was 166.6 times higher (IC 95% 18.2–1526.22) in subjects with bilateral AF in comparison with non-AF subjects.

Conclusions The presence of bilateral AF is associated to an increased frequency of acute headache after suffering a whiplash, information of interest for the attention to these patients.