HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 136, No 4, 459-468. © 2005 American Dental Association

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by de LEEUW, R. Articles by ALBUQUERQUE, R. J.C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by de LEEUW, R. Articles by ALBUQUERQUE, R. J.C. Related Collections Periodontics Pharmacology

JADA Continuing Education

Background. Chronic pain has been linked to various medical conditions. The authors assessed whether certain medical conditions are more prevalent in female patients with orofacial pain than in age-matched controls.

Methods. The study sample consisted of 87 female adult subjects from a university-based orofacial pain center (OPC) and 87 age-matched female subjects from a university-based undergraduate dental clinic (UDC). Subjects were evaluated between February 2003 and July 2003, and they completed a standardized, 78-question medical history questionnaire as part of routine clinical protocol. Using the subjects’ medical histories, the authors compared 11 major medical categories and 77 individual conditions for both groups. For statistical analyses, the authors used nonparametric Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z tests and ² tests and calculated odds ratios (ORs).

Results. The medical histories of subjects in the OPC group indicated a significantly greater number of medical conditions than did those of the subjects in the UDC group (Z = –4.411, P < .0001). Specifically, subjects in the OPC group reported having significantly more neurological (Z = –5.304, P < .0001), gastrointestinal (Z = –2.897, P = .004), pulmonary (Z = –2.298, P = .022), dermatologic (Z = –2.984, P = .003) and other conditions (Z = –2.885, P = .004) than did subjects in the UDC group. Subjects in the OPC group reported having 12 individual medical conditions significantly more often (P < .05, ORs ranged from 2.5 to 9.7) than did subjects in the UDC group.

Conclusions. Female patients with orofacial pain complaints appear to have more systemic problems than do female patients seeking routine dental care.

Clinical Implications. The presence of multiple medical conditions can influence orofacial pain management options and treatment outcomes. Patients with more medically complicated orofacial pain may require treatment on a multidisciplinary basis.

Key Words: Orofacial pain; medical conditions; health questionnaire; female

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. D. Klasser and C. S. Greene Predoctoral teaching of temporomandibular disorders: A survey of U.S. and Canadian dental schools J Am Dent Assoc, February 1, 2007; 138(2): 231 - 237. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. S. Greene, G. D. Klasser, and J. B. Epstein 'OBSERVATIONS' QUESTIONED J Am Dent Assoc, July 1, 2005; 136(7): 848 - 849. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Sharav Orofacial pain: How much is it a local phenomenon? J Am Dent Assoc, April 1, 2005; 136(4): 432 - 433. [Full Text] [PDF]