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Assessment of Somatosensory and Psychosocial Function of Patients With Trigeminal Nerve Damage

Pillai, Rajath S ; Pigg, Maria ; List, Thomas ; Karlsson, Pall ; Mladenović, Živko ; Vase, Lene ; Nørholt, Sven E ; Pedersen, Thomas K ; Bengtsson, Martin LU orcid and Costa, Yuri M , et al. (2020) In Clinical Journal of Pain 36(5). p.321-335
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The present study assessed somatosensory changes related to trigeminal nerve damage using extensive evaluation tools and assessed the effect of such damage on the patients' psychosocial status and quality of life compared with healthy participants.

METHODS: In 37 patients with intraorally or extraorally presenting trigeminal nerve damage diagnosed as painful or nonpainful posttraumatic trigeminal neuropathy, psychophysical tests like quantitative sensory testing (QST) and qualitative sensory testing and the electrophysiological "nociceptive-specific" blink reflex were performed. The patients and 20 healthy participants completed a set of questionnaires assessing their psychosocial status and quality of... (More)

OBJECTIVE: The present study assessed somatosensory changes related to trigeminal nerve damage using extensive evaluation tools and assessed the effect of such damage on the patients' psychosocial status and quality of life compared with healthy participants.

METHODS: In 37 patients with intraorally or extraorally presenting trigeminal nerve damage diagnosed as painful or nonpainful posttraumatic trigeminal neuropathy, psychophysical tests like quantitative sensory testing (QST) and qualitative sensory testing and the electrophysiological "nociceptive-specific" blink reflex were performed. The patients and 20 healthy participants completed a set of questionnaires assessing their psychosocial status and quality of life.

RESULTS: A loss or gain of somatosensory function was seen in at least 1 QST parameter in >88.9% of the patients. Patients in whom extraoral QST was performed showed an overall loss of somatosensory function, whereas intraoral QST showed a general gain of somatosensory function. Qualitative sensory testing identified a side-to-side difference in the tactile and pinprick stimulation in >77% of the patients. An abnormal "nociceptive-specific" blink reflex response was seen in 42.1% to 71.4% of patients dependent on the trigeminal branch stimulated, though comparisons with healthy reference values showed ambiguous results. Compared with the healthy participants, patients showed higher scores for pain catastrophizing, symptoms of depression and anxiety, limited jaw function, more somatic symptoms, and significantly impaired oral health-related quality of life (all P<0.038).

DISCUSSION: The results from the present study showed presence of varied somatosensory abnormalities when assessed using psychophysical and electrophysiological investigations and a significantly impaired psychosocial status.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Anxiety, Catastrophization, Depression, Humans, Oral Health, Pain, Pain Measurement, Quality of Life, Trigeminal Nerve Injuries
in
Clinical Journal of Pain
volume
36
issue
5
pages
321 - 335
publisher
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
external identifiers
  • pmid:31977376
  • scopus:85078802397
ISSN
1536-5409
DOI
10.1097/AJP.0000000000000806
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4cb0c73d-8839-457f-83d8-36c9af675d8a
date added to LUP
2021-11-09 11:24:32
date last changed
2024-06-01 19:12:48
@article{4cb0c73d-8839-457f-83d8-36c9af675d8a,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVE: The present study assessed somatosensory changes related to trigeminal nerve damage using extensive evaluation tools and assessed the effect of such damage on the patients' psychosocial status and quality of life compared with healthy participants.</p><p>METHODS: In 37 patients with intraorally or extraorally presenting trigeminal nerve damage diagnosed as painful or nonpainful posttraumatic trigeminal neuropathy, psychophysical tests like quantitative sensory testing (QST) and qualitative sensory testing and the electrophysiological "nociceptive-specific" blink reflex were performed. The patients and 20 healthy participants completed a set of questionnaires assessing their psychosocial status and quality of life.</p><p>RESULTS: A loss or gain of somatosensory function was seen in at least 1 QST parameter in &gt;88.9% of the patients. Patients in whom extraoral QST was performed showed an overall loss of somatosensory function, whereas intraoral QST showed a general gain of somatosensory function. Qualitative sensory testing identified a side-to-side difference in the tactile and pinprick stimulation in &gt;77% of the patients. An abnormal "nociceptive-specific" blink reflex response was seen in 42.1% to 71.4% of patients dependent on the trigeminal branch stimulated, though comparisons with healthy reference values showed ambiguous results. Compared with the healthy participants, patients showed higher scores for pain catastrophizing, symptoms of depression and anxiety, limited jaw function, more somatic symptoms, and significantly impaired oral health-related quality of life (all P&lt;0.038).</p><p>DISCUSSION: The results from the present study showed presence of varied somatosensory abnormalities when assessed using psychophysical and electrophysiological investigations and a significantly impaired psychosocial status.</p>}},
  author       = {{Pillai, Rajath S and Pigg, Maria and List, Thomas and Karlsson, Pall and Mladenović, Živko and Vase, Lene and Nørholt, Sven E and Pedersen, Thomas K and Bengtsson, Martin and Costa, Yuri M and Svensson, Peter and Baad-Hansen, Lene}},
  issn         = {{1536-5409}},
  keywords     = {{Anxiety; Catastrophization; Depression; Humans; Oral Health; Pain; Pain Measurement; Quality of Life; Trigeminal Nerve Injuries}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{321--335}},
  publisher    = {{Lippincott Williams & Wilkins}},
  series       = {{Clinical Journal of Pain}},
  title        = {{Assessment of Somatosensory and Psychosocial Function of Patients With Trigeminal Nerve Damage}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/AJP.0000000000000806}},
  doi          = {{10.1097/AJP.0000000000000806}},
  volume       = {{36}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}