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Cervicogenic HeadacheNCT02908984

Specific Neck Rehabilitation for Unilateral Headache and Neck Pain, and Structural and Functional Changes in the Brain

A study testing Specific neck rehabilitation and Standard primary health care in people with Cervicogenic Headache, run by University of Tromso at 1 site in Norway.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
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Trial summary

In part 1 of the project clinical effect of specific neck rehabilitation for unilateral headache and neck pain (also termed cervicogenic headache) will be compared with standard primary health care. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 25 to 60 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Cervicogenic Headache
What is being tested?
Specific neck rehabilitation and Standard primary health care
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
57 participants
Where
1 siteNorway
Study dates
Oct 2016to 31 Dec 2025
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 25 to 60 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Unilateral headache and neck pain for 2 years or more
  • Minimum one headache attack pr week (numeric rating scale ≥4)
  • Five or more of Antonaci's seven diagnostic criteria
  • Neck Disability Index score ≥8 Points (≥16 percent points).
  • For healthy controls:
  • Same age distribution

Who cannot join

  • Progressive diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, cancer)
  • Ongoing cervical infection
  • Neurological disease (syringomyelia, radiculopathy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, ischemic stroke )
  • Other headache (>1 tension type headache or migraine attack every month)
  • Other pain conditions (including primary temporomandibular disorder and generalized pain (fibromyalgia with pain intensity >6 to digital palpation)
  • Previous or ongoing drug abuse
Show all 17Show fewer
  • Serious psychiatric disorder.
  • Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 score for depressive symptoms > 2.2
  • Ongoing litigation process
  • Intolerance to MRI
  • Pregnancy and lactation
  • For the subsample undergoing MR analyses: Other systemic diseases (Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, cerebrovascular, epilepsy or other vascular diseases) and dysmenorrhea requiring analgesics
  • For healthy controls:
  • Chronic pain
  • Chronic dizziness
  • Intolerance to MRI
  • Pregnancy and lactation

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Norway1 site
  • University Hospital of North Norway

    Tromsø, 9019

Other trials in Norway

About this study

Official title: Effects of Specific Neck Rehabilitation on Patients With Unilateral Headache and Neck Pain (Cervicogenic Headache), and Relation to Structural and Functional Changes in the Brain

In part 1 of the project clinical effect of specific neck rehabilitation for unilateral headache and neck pain (also termed cervicogenic headache) will be compared with standard primary health care. The researchers will further study whether fear avoidance beliefs and self-efficacy predict long term neck function and headache frequency superior to active range of neck movement. Part 2 will investigate whether patients with cervicogenic headache have structural changes in cerebral grey and white matter and in connectivity of the resting state state network, and whether these are reversed after effective neck rehabilitation and correlate to symptom severity and degree of disability.

Read the detailed description

The project includes two parts:

Part 1: With a longitudinal semicross-over, randomized control design the investigators will compare the clinical efficacy of a 6 month specific neck rehabilitation with standard primary health care on patients with unilateral headache and neck pain ( also termed cervicogenic headache) and study whether self-efficacy and fear avoidance beliefs predict 12 month self-reported neck function and headache frequency superior to the active range of neck movement The patients will either receive a specific neck rehabilitation program or 6 month standard primary health care before they cross over to neck rehabilitation. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics will be collected before each treatment session and 6 and 12 months later.

Part 2: With a non-randomized comparative design including a subsample of the patients (n: 36) and healthy controls (n: 36) the investigators will explore whether there are structural changes in the cerebral grey and white matter, and whether cerebral connectivity within the default mode network (DMN and other major cerebral networks) are significantly different and whether the changes correlate to symptom severity and degree of disability.

Structural (cortical volume and thickness) changes will measured by volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRi) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), while cerebral connectivity by resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI). Whether the anticipated cerebral changes in volume, structure and connectivity are reversed after specific neck rehabilitation will be tested by repeated measurements. Analyses of MRI scans and clinical characteristics will be performed before each treatment session and 6 months later.

Statistics: A parallel design power calculations based on previous studies indicated that for the clinical part a number of 21 patients within each treatment group (a total of 42 patients) and for the MR analyses a subsample of 34 patients and 34 health controls will be sufficient to obtain a statistical power of 80% with a p-value of 5%. Given a 2:1 ratio following a semi-cross over design, normal distributed data, α = 0.05, different standard deviations for each group (SD 1,38 and 1,71), and a statistical power of 0,8, a calculation indicated a sample size of 36 patients for the RCT. With a dropout rate up to 35%, 54 participants would be satisfactory.

Changes between baseline and the 6 month follow up will be used for "between and within group" comparisons while 12 months data will be included for in "within-group" comparisons. Statistical predictor analyses will be performed by regression analyses. The statistician who are performing the primary end point analysis, are blinded to group assignment.

Being tested
Specific neck rehabilitation, Standard primary health care
Keywords
unilateral headache, cervical pain, neck pain, rehabilitation, structural brain changes, surface based volumetry, diffusion tensor imaging, functional brain changes, sensorimotor control, craniocervical flexion, vestibular rehabilitation, cortical thickness
Medical subject headings
Post-Traumatic Headache, Headache, Neck Pain

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Specific neck rehabilitationBehavioural

    Guided craniocervical, axioscapular and proprioceptive training that includes education, postural exercises, as well as training of cervical and shoulder muscles, and vestibular rehabilitation, included oculomotor function if indicated, and general exercises

  • Standard primary health careOther

    The treatment may include pharmacological medication, chiropractic and physiotherapy or no active treatment

Study groups in NCT02908984
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Specific neck rehabilitationExperimentalThe intervention includes specific neck rehabilitation as described by Jull and Falla over a period of 4 weeks and recommendations for further training.
Receives: Behavioral: Specific neck rehabilitation
Standard primary health careActive comparatorThis represents individualized therapy administered by the primary physician.
Receives: Other: Standard primary health care

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Difference of days with headache pr week after specific neck rehabilitation vs standard primary health care

    Between group comparison with a numeric variable (scale 0-7)

    Measured: 6 months after baseline

  2. Differences in grey matter volume of the brain and brain stem between patients with unilateral headache and neck pain vs. healthy controls

    Two independent group comparison based on volumetric analysis of cerebral grey matter also including surface based measurements (continuous variable)

    Measured: Baseline

  3. Differences in cortical thickness between patients with unilateral headache and neck pain vs. healthy controls

    Two independent group comparison based on surface based analyses of cerebral grey matter carried out with FreeSurfer version 6.0

    Measured: Baseline

Secondary outcomes (18)
  1. Difference in pain intensity after specific neck rehabilitation vs. standard primary health care

    Between group comparison with a numeric variable (scale 0-10)

    Measured: 6 months after baseline

  2. Improved neck function after specific neck rehabilitation vs. standard primary health care

    Between group comparison with a numeric variable (scale 0-50)

    Measured: 6 months after baseline

  3. Change in grey matter volume of the brain and brain stem in patients with unilateral headache and neck pain after specific neck rehabilitation

    Within group comparison based on volumetric analysis of cerebral grey matter also including surface based measurements (continuous variable)

    Measured: 6 months

  4. Change in cortical thickness of the brain between patients with unilateral headache and neck pain after specific neck rehabilitation

    Within group comparison based on surface based volumetric analysis of cerebral grey matter (continous variable)

    Measured: 6 months

  5. Differences in white matter integrity in patients with unilateral headache and neck pain vs. healthy controls

    Two independent group comparison based on diffusion tensor imaging with tract based spatial statistics analyses

    Measured: Baseline

  6. Difference in white matter integrity after specific neck rehabilitation vs standard primary health care

    Between group comparison based on diffusion tensor imaging with tract based spatial statistics analyses

    Measured: 6 months after baseline

  7. How four week baseline headache intensity reported by a numeric rating scale is associated with regional grey matter volumes measured by surface based volumetry in patients with unilateral headache and neck pain.

    Linear regression analysis will be performed where the surface based volumetric measure of cerebral grey matter is the dependent variable, and four week baseline headache intensity is independent variable. Baseline headache intensity is based on daily measures during the last 4 weeks and is reported by an electronic diary and numeric rating scale where 0 is no pain and 10 is worst imaginable pain. It is thus considered a continuous measure. Age and gender are included as covariates.

    Measured: Baseline

  8. How baseline perceived cognitive function predicts volumetric differences of cerebral grey matter in patients with unilateral headache and neck pain

    Linear regression analysis of surface based volumetric measures of grey matter (continuous data) and scores of Everyday Memory Questionnaire (scale 0-8).

    Measured: Baseline

  9. How baseline active range of neck movement predicts neck function

    A logistic regression analysis on how baseline active range of neck movement (continuous data, degrees of rotation) predicts a 30% reduction in Neck Disability Index Score (0-50). Co-factors are age, gender, education, sick-leave.

    Measured: 12 months after baseline

  10. How baseline active range of neck movement predicts headache frequency

    A logistic regression analysis on how baseline active range of neck movement (continuous data, degrees of rotation) predicts a 30% reduction in headache frequency (0-7). Co-factors are age, gender, education, sick-leave.

    Measured: 12 months after baseline

  11. How baseline self efficacy predicts neck function

    A logistic regression analysis on how baseline General self efficacy scale score (scale 10-40) predicts a 30% reduction in Neck Disability Index Score (0-50). Co-factors are age, gender, education, sick-leave.

    Measured: 12 months after baseline

  12. How baseline self efficacy predicts headache frequency

    A logistic regression analysis on how baseline General self efficacy scale score (scale 10-40) predicts a 30% reduction in headache frequency (0-7). Co-factors are age, gender, education, sick-leave.

    Measured: 12 months after baseline

  13. How baseline fear avoidance beliefs for physical activity predict neck function

    A logistic regression analysis on how baseline fear avoidance beliefs score predict a 30% reduction in Neck Disability Index Score (0-50). Co-factors are age, gender, education, sick-leave.

    Measured: 12 months after baseline

  14. How baseline fear avoidance beliefs for physical activity predict headache frequency

    A logistic regression analysis on how baseline fear avoidance beliefs for physical activity score predict a 30% reduction in headache frequency (0-7). Co-factors are age, gender, education, sick-leave.

    Measured: 12 months after baseline

  15. Difference in intra-network connectivity of resting state networks in patients with unilateral headache and neck pain vs. healthy controls.

    Two independent comparison based on baseline rs-fMRI data to compare patients and controls. In multivariate general linear models, the investigators will use DMN and other major cerebral networks, identified by independent component analysis (ICA), as dependent variables and test whether there are differences in cerebral connectivity between patients and controls. All rs-fMRI analyses will be performed with the GIFT software http://mialab.mrn.org/software/gift/index.html. An ICA procedure in GIFT will be used to identify functional networks. GIFT that has a MatLab based statistical module for general linear modelling (GLM) of rs-fMRI data that will be used for all rs-fMRI analyses.

    Measured: Baseline

  16. Change of resting state connectivity in patients who report reduction in headache attacks.

    Within group comparison of resting state networks between baseline and 6 months follow up in a repeated measure GLM in the GIFT. Connectivity of DMN and other major networks is dependent variable and change in number of headache attacks main predictor variable.

    Measured: 6 months after baseline

  17. Changes of resting state connectivity related to pain relief after specific neck rehabilitation.

    Within group comparison of resting state networks between baseline and 6 months follow up in a multivariate GLM. Change of connectiviy in DMN and other major networks is dependent variables and pain reports main covariate.

    Measured: 6 months

  18. Changes in connectivity of resting state networks related to improved craniocervical flexion endurance capacity after specific neck rehabilitation.

    Within group comparison of resting state networks between baseline and 6 months follow in a multivariate GLM. Connectivity of DMN and other major networks is dependent variables and craniocervical flexion endurance capacity main covariate.

    Measured: 6 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted21 Sep 2016 (estimated)
  2. Study startOct 2016
  3. Primary completion31 Dec 2025 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2025 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
57 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02908984
Sponsor's protocol ID
2014/1652
Status last verified
Apr 2025
First submitted
14 Jan 2016
Last updated
4 May 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Specific neck rehabilitation and Standard primary health care in people with Cervicogenic Headache, run by University of Tromso at 1 site in Norway.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 17 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 May 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Norway. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Difference of days with headache pr week after specific neck rehabilitation vs standard primary health care (time frame: 6 months after baseline). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 May 2025.

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