Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain

Korean Academy of Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine (대한안면통증구강내과학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Orofacial Thermal Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST): A Study of Healthy Korean Women and Sex Difference

  • Received : 2015.07.28
  • Accepted : 2015.09.01
  • Published : 2015.09.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Purpose: Thermal sensory test as an essential part of quantitative sensory testing (QST) has been recognized as a useful tool in the evaluation of the trigeminal nerve function. Normative data in the orofacial region have been reported but the data on differences in the test site, sex and ethnicity are still insufficient. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the normal range of orofacial thermal QST data in the healthy Korean women, and assess sex difference of thermal perception in the orofacial regions. Methods: Thermal QST was conducted on 20 healthy women participants (mean age, 26.4 years; range, 21 to 34 years). The thermal thresholds (cold detection threshold, CDT; warm detection threshold, WDT; cold pain threshold, CPT; and heat pain threshold, HPT) were measured bilaterally at the 5 trigeminal sites (the forehead, cheek, mentum, lower lip and tongue tip). The normative thermal thresholds of women in the orofacial region were evaluated using one-way ANOVA and compared with the previously reported data from age- and site-matched 30 healthy men (mean age, 26.1 years; range, 23 to 32 years) using two-way ANOVA. One experienced operator performed the tests of both sexes and all tests were done in the same condition except the time variability. Results: Women showed significant site differences for the CDT (p<0.001), WDT (p<0.001), and HPT (p=0.047) in the orofacial region. The CDT (p<0.001) and the CPT (p=0.007) presented significant sex difference unlike the WDT and the HPT. Conclusions: The thermal sensory evaluation in the orofacial region should be considered in the context of site and sex and the normative data in this study could be useful for assessment of the sensory abnormalities in the clinical setting.

Keywords

References

  1. Hillerup S. Iatrogenic injury to oral branches of the trigeminal nerve: records of 449 cases. Clin Oral Investig 2007;11:133-142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-006-0089-5
  2. Eliav E, Gracely RH, Nahlieli O, Benoliel R. Quantitative sensory testing in trigeminal nerve damage assessment. J Orofac Pain 2004;18:339-344.
  3. Arendt-Nielsen L, Yarnitsky D. Experimental and clinical applications of quantitative sensory testing applied to skin, muscles and viscera. J Pain 2009;10:556-572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2009.02.002
  4. Rolke R, Baron R, Maier C, et al. Quantitative sensory testing in the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain (DFNS): standardized protocol and reference values. Pain 2006;123:231-243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2006.01.041
  5. Rolke R, Magerl W, Campbell KA, et al. Quantitative sensory testing: a comprehensive protocol for clinical trials. Eur J Pain 2006;10:77-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpain.2005.02.003
  6. Pigg M, Baad-Hansen L, Svensson P, Drangsholt M, List T. Reliability of intraoral quantitative sensory testing (QST). Pain 2010;148:220-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2009.10.024
  7. Wasner GL, Brock JA. Determinants of thermal pain thresholds in normal subjects. Clin Neurophysiol 2008;119:2389-2395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2008.07.223
  8. Pigg M, Svensson P, List T. Orofacial thermal thresholds: timedependent variability and influence of spatial summation and test site. J Orofac Pain 2011;25:39-48.
  9. Becser N, Sand T, Zwart JA. Reliability of cephalic thermal thresholds in healthy subjects. Cephalalgia 1998;18:574-582. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.1998.1808574.x
  10. Green BG, Gelhard B. Perception of temperature on oral and facial skin. Somatosens Res 1987;4:191-200. https://doi.org/10.3109/07367228709144606
  11. Essick G, Guest S, Martinez E, Chen C, McGlone F. Site-dependent and subject-related variations in perioral thermal sensitivity. Somatosens Mot Res 2004;21:159-175. https://doi.org/10.1080/08990220400012414
  12. Kim HK, Kim KS, Kim ME. Influence of test site and baseline temperature on orofacial thermal thresholds. J Orofac Pain 2013;27:263-270.
  13. Matos R, Wang K, Jensen JD, et al. Quantitative sensory testing in the trigeminal region: site and gender differences. J Orofac Pain 2011;25:161-169.
  14. Green BG. Thermal perception on lingual and labial skin. Percept Psychophys 1984;36:209-220. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03206361
  15. Stevens JC, Choo KK. Temperature sensitivity of the body surface over the life span. Somatosens Mot Res 1998;15:13-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/08990229870925
  16. Davies SN, Goldsmith GE, Hellon RF, Mitchell D. Facial sensitivity to rates of temperature change: neurophysiological and psychophysical evidence from cats and humans. J Physiol 1983;344:161-175. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.1983.sp014931
  17. Verdugo R, Ochoa JL. Quantitative somatosensory thermotest. A key method for functional evaluation of small calibre afferent channels. Brain 1992;115:893-913. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/115.3.893
  18. Schepers RJ, Ringkamp M. Thermoreceptors and thermosensitive afferents. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2010;34:177-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.10.003
  19. Yarnitsky D, Granot M. Chapter 27 quantitative sensory testing. Handb Clin Neurol 2006;81:397-409. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0072-9752(06)80031-X
  20. Harju EL. Cold and warmth perception mapped for age, gender, and body area. Somatosens Mot Res 2002;19:61-75. https://doi.org/10.1080/08990220120113057
  21. Liou JT, Lui PW, Lo YL, et al. Normative data of quantitative thermal and vibratory thresholds in normal subjects in Taiwan: gender and age effect. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) 1999;62:431-437.
  22. Doeland HJ, Nauta JJ, van Zandbergen JB, et al. The relationship of cold and warmth cutaneous sensation to age and gender. Muscle Nerve 1989;12:712-715. https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.880120903
  23. Lautenbacher S, Rollman GB. Sex differences in responsiveness to painful and non-painful stimuli are dependent upon the stimulation method. Pain 1993;53:255-264. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(93)90221-A
  24. Lautenbacher S, Strian F. Sex differences in pain and thermal sensitivity: the role of body size. Percept Psychophys 1991;50:179-183. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03212218
  25. Fillingim RB, Maixner W. Gender differences in the responses to noxious stimuli. Pain Forum 1995;4:209-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1082-3174(11)80022-X
  26. Fillingim RB. Complex associations among sex, anxiety and pain. Pain 2013;154:332-333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2012.12.013
  27. Riley JL 3rd, Robinson ME, Wise EA, Myers CD, Fillingim RB. Sex differences in the perception of noxious experimental stimuli: a meta-analysis. Pain 1998;74:181-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3959(97)00199-1
  28. Unruh AM. Gender variations in clinical pain experience. Pain 1996;65:123-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(95)00214-6
  29. Edwards RR, Sarlani E, Wesselmann U, Fillingim RB. Quantitative assessment of experimental pain perception: multiple domains of clinical relevance. Pain 2005;114:315-319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2005.01.007
  30. Fillingim RB, Maixner W, Kincaid S, Silva S. Sex differences in temporal summation but not sensory-discriminative processing of thermal pain. Pain 1998;75:121-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3959(97)00214-5
  31. Fillingim RB, King CD, Ribeiro-Dasilva MC, Rahim-Williams B, Riley JL 3rd. Sex, gender, and pain: a review of recent clinical and experimental findings. J Pain 2009;10:447-485.
  32. Racine M, Tousignant-Laflamme Y, Kloda LA, Dion D, Dupuis G, Choiniere M. A systematic literature review of 10 years of research on sex/gender and experimental pain perception--part 1: are there really differences between women and men? Pain 2012;153:602-618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2011.11.025

Cited by

  1. Orofacial quantitative sensory testing: Current evidence and future perspectives vol.24, pp.8, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.1611