Lack of correlation between central sensitization inventory and psychophysical measures of central sensitization in individuals with painful temporomandibular disorder

• Published in: Archives of oral biology Vol. 124; p. 105063
• Main Authors: Proença, Juliana dos Santos, Baad-Hansen, Lene, Braido, Guilherme Vinícius do Vale, Mercante, Fernanda Gruninger, Campi, Letícia Bueno, Gonçalves, Daniela Aparecida de Godoi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2021
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Central Nervous System Sensitization; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Middle Aged; Pain; Pain measurement; Pain Threshold; Questionnaires; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders; Young Adult; RDC/TMD; Pain measurement; Pain threshold; Questionnaires; CSI; S.D; TMD; kgf; Temporomandibular joint disorders; Central nervous system sensitization
• ISSN: 0003-9969; 1879-1506
• DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2021.105063

•Painful TMD patients presented higher CSI scores than controls.•Painful TMD was associated with pressure hypersensitivity.•CSI scores were significantly correlated with symptoms of psychosocial distress.•CSI scores were not correlated with psychophysical tests of central sensitization.•CSI seems to be an assessment tool for pain-related psychosocial distress.
To assess the correlation between the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) scores and the results of psychophysical tests and psychosocial questionnaires according to the presence of painful temporomandibular disorder (TMD).
It was a cross-sectional study involving 146 participants, aged 20–65 years. Painful TMD was classified using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. CSI was applied to assess “central sensitization-related symptoms”, as has been suggested. Wind-up ratio, pressure pain threshold and conditioned pain modulation were used as psychophysical tests to evaluate signs and symptoms of central sensitization. Psychosocial factors were assessed by the presence of non-specific physical symptoms, depressive and anxiety symptoms. The sample was divided into two groups: Control (n = 31); Painful TMD (n = 115). Descriptive statistics characterized the sample. Correlation analysis were performed using Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation coefficients (α = 5%).
Of the total sample, 78.8 % presented painful TMD, and the mean (standard deviation) age was 37.4 (±11.5) years. Anxiety symptoms (p = 0.028) and non-specific physical symptoms (p < 0.001) were more frequent in the painful TMD group than in controls. Painful TMD patients presented higher scores of the CSI (p < 0.001) and lower pressure pain thresholds (p ≤ 0.020) compared to controls. CSI scores were significantly correlated with psychosocial measures (p < 0.001) but not with psychophysical tests (p ≥ 0.089).
The CSI scores did not correlate with psychophysical measures of central sensitization but were positively correlated with the results of psychosocial questionnaires.