The Effect of Nuchal Ligament Calcification on Cervical Function in Patients With Neck Pain

Completed

• Conditions: Neck Pain
• Interventions: Other: no intervention was used in this observational study

• Registration Number: NCT02362555
• Lead Sponsor: Changhua Christian Hospital

Brief Summary

Ossification of nuchal ligament often observed in patient with chronic neck pain, previous study showed ossification of nuchal ligament was associated with cervical spondylosis and radiculopathy. Patient with chronic neck pain was divided into two groups according to the presence of ossification of nuchal ligament on cervical radiographic images.

This study is to evaluate and compare the neck function including range of motion, neck strength and pressure pain threshold, radiography characteristics and functional disability between two groups.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2014-04
• Study First Submitted: 2015-01-21
• Study First Submitted QC: 2015-02-09
• Study First Posted: 2015-02-13
• Primary Completion: 2015-08
• Study Completion: 2015-08
• Status Verified: 2015-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-11-10
• Last Update Posted: 2015-11-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 68

Inclusion Criteria

• Patient with neck pain and stiffness last for more than 1 month

Exclusion Criteria

• cervical trauma or fracture in 3 months
• evidence of cervical spine instability
• rheumatoid cervical spondylopathy
• previous cervical surgery
• head and neck cancer
• previous radiotherapy over neck and surrounding
• those complicated with myelopathy
• contraindication to radiography like pregnant woman

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Non ossification of nuchal ligament	no intervention was used in this observational study	check neck function, radiography characteristics and complete functional disability questionnaire
ossification of nuchal ligament	no intervention was used in this observational study	check neck function, radiography characteristics and complete functional disability questionnaire

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Degrees of cervical range of motion	1 day ( first visit)	active range of motion in flexion, extension,lateral bending and rotation direction with Cervical Range of Motion (CROM) instrument
Angles of cervical lordotic curve at C2-C7 on cervical x-ray	within one week after first visit	measured by both modified Cobb method and Harrison posterior tangent method at C2-C7 in every participants
Scores of functional disability as a measure of effects of neck pain on daily living	1 day ( first visit)	neck disability index (NDI) with 10-item scaled questionnaire
The values of neck flexor, extensor, lateral bending and rotation strength	1 day ( first visit)	measured with a handheld dynamometer
The values of pressure pain threshold as a measure of participants' pain sensitivity	1 day ( first visit)	Pressure gauge algometer was applied to bilateral upper trapezius

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Changhua Christian Hospital Taiwan; 🇨🇳 Changhua, Taiwan