Depression levels in chronic orofacial pain patients: a pilot study

Abstract

The assessment of depressive behaviour in chronic pain patients is especially important, because depression is commonly associated with chronic pain. The aim of this pilot study was to compare depression levels between patients with head and neck cancer pain and temporomandibular disorders (TMD), and to determine whether there is an association between depression levels and chronic pain severity. This study was an observational and sectional study and the sample consisted of 40 patients, uniformly divided into those with chronic orofacial pain related to cancer and those with painful TMD classified with research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) axis I. Depression levels, pain intensity and severity were assessed with RDC/TMD axis II. The study demonstrated statistically significant differences in depression levels present in the head and neck cancer pain group and the painful TMD group, with the occurrence of a moderate statistically significant correlation between depression levels and chronic pain severity.

Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) axis I diagnoses in an Italian patient population

“…At present, there is a growing interest for the adoption of RDC/TMD classification in studies on patient populations, and RDC/TMD guidelines were adopted to assess TMD patients in several studies. Unfortunately, in many cases the study design was not consistent with the present investigation and inclusion criteria were different (31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37), so that a comparison of findings is possible only with data gathered on Swedish, US, Asian and Italian populations (22)(23)(24), with the latter study representing a preliminary report of the present investigation. A cross-cultural study compare RDC/TMD findings in 100 Swedish patients with those of 247 US patients (22), another paper evaluated the prevalence of the different RDC/TMD diagnoses in a sample of 202 Asian patients (23), while a multi-centre investigation reported data on 285 patients from two Italian universities (24).…”

Sociodemographic Comparison in Patients with Subjective and Objective Clinical Findings of Temporomandibular Dysfunctions

“…4,5 Additionally, the effects of social factors, such as marital status, smoking, and education, as possible risk factors for the development of TMD have also been investigated. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] However, a consensus has not yet been reached as to whether the sociodemographic factors are involved in the development of TMDs. 5,7 The aim of this study was to investigate the differences among healthy persons; patients with myofacial pain without limitation; patients with objective signs such as clicking, deviation, deflection, and limitation; and patients with both MP and objective features with respect to age, gender, the effects of TMDs on daily life, economic condition, smoking, marital status, and education.…”

Temporomandibular disorders in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A clinical study

“…The prevalence of TMJ involvement in patients with the rheumatic disease varies between 2% and 88%. [4][5][6][7][8][9]14] This value has been found to vary greatly depending on diagnostic criteria, and the population studied. [16] According to our study, the prevalence of TMD in RA patients was %90.7.…”

“…Some patients with pathological internal derangement of the TMJ, however, are asymptomatic or have relatively innocuous clinical symptoms. [3][4][5] It is well known that TMJ can be involved in patients with rheumatic disease. Reported frequencies of TMD vary between 2% and 88% in RA patients.…”