Reliability and agreement of somatosensory sensitivity in patients with chronic primary myofascial orofacial pain

• Grant number: 25/03518-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Yuri Martins Costa
• Grantee: Natália Saori Izumi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba (FOP). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/15826-8 - Central mechanisms of pain amplification in patients with chronic myofascial orofacial pain: exploring new potentialities of somatosensory and neurophysiological assessment, AP.JP

Abstract

Somatosensory alterations in patients with chronic pain have an interesting potential as biomarkers in chronic orofacial pain. However, important gaps still need to be addressed before this potential can be fully realized. One such gap is the lack of evidence regarding the reliability of quantitative sensory testing (QST) in patients with chronic orofacial pain. Thus, the main objective of this study is to estimate the relative reliability and agreement of somatosensory sensitivity in an orofacial and spinal region in patients with chronic primary myofascial orofacial pain. Thirty-three participants diagnosed with chronic primary myofascial orofacial pain will be assessed in three sessions by three different examiners (one examiner per session, with sessions spaced 24-72 hours apart). A QST battery will be applied to the masseter region and forearm on both sides, evaluating the following parameters: cold detection threshold, warm detection threshold, thermal sensory limen, paradoxal heat sensation, cold pain threshold, heat pain threshold, mechanical detection threshold, mechanical pain threshold, mechanical pain sensitivity, dynamic mechanical allodynia, wind-up ratio, vibration detection threshold, and pressure pain threshold. Inter-examiner reliability (relative reliability) for each somatosensory parameter and region will be estimated using the ICC and its 95% confidence interval. Agreement (absolute reliability) will be estimated for each somatosensory parameter and region using the standard error of measurement.