CONCLUSIONS There was a consistent positive association among studies that have examined the association between MVC-related neck injury and future NP .
OBJECTIVE To summarize the literature that has examined the association between a motor vehicle collision ( MVC ) related neck injury and future neck pain ( NP )  in comparison with the population that has not been exposed to neck injury from an MVC .
LITERATURE SURVEY Neck injury result ing from an MVC is associated with a high rate of chronicity .
Prognosis studies indicate 50 % of injured people continue to experience NP a year after the collision .
This is difficult to interpret due to the high prevalence of NP in the general population .
Prospective Ten-Year Follow-up Study Comparing Patients With Whiplash-Associated Disorders and Asymptomatic Subjects Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Study Design . A prospect i ve 10-year follow-up study of patients with whiplash-associated disorders ( WAD ) and asymptomatic volunteers . Objective . To clarify long-term impact of whiplash injury on patient 's symptoms and on magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) findings of the cervical spine . Summary of Background Data . Long-term prognosis of WAD has not been fully eluci date d. Methods . Between 1993 and 1996 , we conducted cross-sectional comparative study of 508 acute WAD patients and 497 asymptomatic volunteers , all of whom underwent MRI of the cervical spine .  For this follow-up study , 133 WAD patients and 223 control subjects were recruited again . All participants underwent follow-up MRI and physical examination , and answered to question naires regarding neck symptoms . Evaluation of MRI included decrease in signal intensity of discs , posterior disc protrusion , disc space narrowing , and foraminal stenosis using 2 to 4 numerical grade s. Increase in the numerical grade s by one or more was considered to be progression of degenerative changes . Results . Progression of decrease in signal intensity was observed in 109 WAD patients ( 82.0 % ) , and 132 control subjects ( 59.2 % ) , ( age , sex adjusted odds ratio [ OR ] : 3.06 ) , posterior disc protrusion in 101 ( 75.9 % ) and in 155 ( 69.5 % ) ( OR = 1.46 ) , disc space narrowing in 33 ( 24.8 % ) and in 59 ( 26.5 % ) ( OR = 0.98 ) , and foraminal stenosis in 6 ( 4.5 % ) , and in 20 ( 9.0 % ) ( OR = 0.52 ) , respectively . Neck pain was observed in 34 WAD patients ( 25.6 % ) and 22 control subjects ( 9.9 % ) ( P < 0.0001 ) . There was no statistically significant correlation between neck pain and progression in each MR finding in either group . Conclusion . The results of this study suggest that , although some WAD patients are more likely to suffer from long-lasting neck pain , MRI findings can not explain the symptoms
CONCLUSIONS There was a consistent positive association among studies that have examined the association between MVC-related neck injury and future NP .
OBJECTIVE To summarize the literature that has examined the association between a motor vehicle collision ( MVC ) related neck injury and future neck pain ( NP )  in comparison with the population that has not been exposed to neck injury from an MVC .
LITERATURE SURVEY Neck injury result ing from an MVC is associated with a high rate of chronicity .
Prognosis studies indicate 50 % of injured people continue to experience NP a year after the collision .
This is difficult to interpret due to the high prevalence of NP in the general population .