[Doubtful nosological validity of the chronic whiplash syndrome]

Since the 1980s, victims of traffic accidents in western countries increasingly report chronic symptoms which they attribute to a whiplash injury of the cervical spine. In an extensive review article published in 1996, it was, however, concluded that this so-called chronic whiplash syndrome has little nosological validity. It was now investigated whether this conclusion could be upheld by the results of later published studies.

Extensive evaluation was carried out of all the whiplash literature listed in Pubmed since 1996 with the question whether research over the last 15 years has achieved a better validation of this syndrome.

Of the over 1,600 publications about whiplash since 1996, no study could be identified which confirmed the nosological validity of the chronic whiplash syndrome.

As a positive consequence of the results of this study, accident victims suffering whiplash can be informed about the very good prognosis after whiplash in a more trustworthy way. Many iatrogenic injuries can thus be avoided. The expert opinion after whiplash without radiologically documented and/or neurologically confirmed significant acute traumatic injury which can cause chronic symptoms, should generally not be in favor of insurance benefits. The authors propose that all of a set of minimal criteria should be fulfilled if in exceptional cases a probable relationship between the trauma and chronic symptoms can be assumed.