Research Data for paper: Evidence for peripheral neuroinflammation after acute whiplash

Data for paper published in Pain. March 2025.
Data is arranged by figure, with each Excel tab corresponding to a different figure. It includes MRI T2-signal ratios for the C5-C8 roots of the brachial plexus (Figure 3), C5-C8 dorsal root ganglia (Figure 4), and the median nerve at the carpal tunnel (Figure 5) in whiplash-associated disorder grade 2 (WADII) participants and healthy control subjects. It also includes measures of heightened nerve trunk mechanosensitivity (Figure 6), blood serum concentrations of inflammatory mediators (Figure 7), and dermatomal changes and quantitative sensory testing (Figure 8) in the same individuals. Data for Figure 9 is separated into WADII participants with and without heightened nerve mechanosensitivity.
Abstract
Whiplash injury is associated with high socioeconomic costs and poor prognosis. Most people are classified as having whiplash-associated disorder grade II (WADII), with neck complaints and musculoskeletal signs, in the absence of frank neurological signs. However, evidence suggests that there is a subgroup with underlying nerve involvement in WADII, such as peripheral neuroinflammation. This study aimed to investigate the presence of neuroinflammation in acute WADII using T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the brachial plexus, dorsal root ganglia and median nerve, and clinical surrogates of neuroinflammation: heightened nerve mechanosensitivity (HNM), raised serum inflammatory mediators, and somatosensory hyperalgesia. One hundred twenty-two WADII participants within 4 weeks of whiplash and 43 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Magnetic resonance imaging T2 signal ratio was increased in the C5 root of the brachial plexus and the C5-C8 dorsal root ganglia in WADII participants compared with HCs but not in the distal median nerve trunk. Fifty-five percent of WADII participants had signs of HNM. Inflammatory mediators were also raised compared with HCs, and 47% of WADII participants had somatosensory changes on quantitative sensory testing. In those WADII individuals with HNM, there was hyperalgesia to cold and pressure and an increased proportion of neuropathic pain. Many people with WADII had multiple indicators of neuroinflammation. Overall, our results present a complex phenotypic profile for acute WADII and provide evidence suggestive of peripheral neuroinflammation in a subgroup of individuals. The results suggest that there is a need to reconsider the management of people with WADII.

本数据集源自2025年3月发表于《Pain》期刊的学术论文。数据按图表维度整理，每个Excel工作表对应一张独立图表。数据集涵盖挥鞭相关疾病2级（whiplash-associated disorder grade 2, WADII）受试者与健康对照（healthy control, HC）的多项检测数据：臂丛神经C5~C8神经根（对应图3）、C5~C8背根神经节（dorsal root ganglia, DRG，对应图4）及腕管正中神经（对应图5）的MRI T2信号比值；同时包含同一队列受试者的神经干机械敏感性增高相关检测数据（对应图6）、血清炎症介质浓度（对应图7），以及皮节改变与定量感觉测试（quantitative sensory testing, QST，对应图8）结果。图9的数据则按WADII受试者是否存在神经干机械敏感性增高进行分组拆分。

摘要
挥鞭伤关联高额社会经济成本且预后不佳。多数患者被归类为挥鞭相关疾病2级（WADII），表现为颈肩部不适与肌肉骨骼体征，但无显性神经系统体征。然而现有研究证据显示，WADII患者中存在一类存在潜在神经受累的亚组，例如伴随周围神经炎症。本研究旨在通过臂丛神经、背根神经节与正中神经的T2加权磁共振成像（T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging），以及神经干机械敏感性增高（heightened nerve mechanosensitivity, HNM）、血清炎症介质升高、躯体感觉痛觉超敏这三类神经炎症临床替代标志物，探究急性WADII患者的神经炎症存在情况。本研究共招募122名伤后4周内的急性WADII患者与43名健康对照。与健康对照相比，WADII患者臂丛神经C5神经根及C5~C8背根神经节的MRI T2信号比值显著升高，但远端正中神经干未出现该变化。55%的WADII患者存在神经干机械敏感性增高征象。炎症介质血清浓度同样高于健康对照，且47%的WADII患者在定量感觉测试中出现躯体感觉改变。在存在神经干机械敏感性增高的WADII患者中，其冷刺激与压力刺激痛觉过敏发生率更高，神经性疼痛占比也有所上升。诸多WADII患者存在多项神经炎症相关指标异常。综上，本研究结果揭示了急性WADII的复杂表型特征，为部分患者存在周围神经炎症提供了证据支持，同时提示需重新审视WADII患者的临床管理方案。