Determination of normative values for quantitative sensory tests in the orofacial region

• Grant number: 14/11480-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2014
• End date: September 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Paulo César Rodrigues Conti
• Grantee: Paulo César Rodrigues Conti
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Leonardo Rigoldi Bonjardim

Abstract

The new concept of treatment of pain syndromes based on the mechanisms of pain generation is founded on the hypothesis that different clinical signs and symptoms reflect different underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of pain generation. To analyze these mechanisms, in 2006, the DFNS (German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain) developed a standardized protocol of quantitative sensory testing (QST) for a quantitative evaluation of pain generating mechanisms, creating reference values for hand, foot and face (masseter muscle) sites. However, there is no definitive study in the Brazilian population that determines intra-oral reference values, or the modulatory effect of a conditioning stimulus on QST values at the anterior temporalis, maxillary gingiva and hand sites. This study aims to determine reference values for QST protocol in the orofacial region and evaluate the effectiveness of the conditioning stimulus in the perception of pain through the conditioning pain modulation (CPM) test. 100 subjects (50 men/50 women) will be examined through the tests of mechanical detection (MDT), wind-up ratio (WUR), conditioning pain modulation (CPM), and pressure pain threshold (PPT) to determine reference values in healthy subjects. Subjects will be examined in a single session by a trained examiner under the protocol developed by the DFNS (2006). QST data will be transformed into Z-scores, and the paired t-test will be utilized to evaluate the CPM effect and compare variables between men and women groups. For comparisons among gender, age and side examined three-way ANOVA will be used. (AU)