Test-retest reliability of quantitative sensory testing for mechanical somatosensory and pain modulation assessment of masticatory structures

Abstract

Background

Assessing the reliability of medical measurements is a crucial step toward the elaboration of an applicable clinical instrument. There are few studies that evaluate the reliability of somatosensory assessment and pain modulation of masticatory structures.

Objectives

To estimate the test-retest reliability, i.e., over time, of the mechanical somatosensory assessment of anterior temporalis, masseter and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the conditioned pain modulation (CPM) using the anterior temporalis as the test site.

Methods

Twenty healthy women were evaluated in two sessions by the same examiner one week apart. Mechanical detection threshold (MDT), mechanical pain threshold (MPT), wind-up ratio (WUR) and pressure pain threshold (PPT) were assessed on the skin overlying the anterior temporalis, masseter and TMJ of the dominant side. CPM was tested by comparing PPT before and during the hand's immersion in a hot water bath. ANOVA and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) were applied to the data (α=5%).

Results

The overall ICCs showed acceptable values for the test-retest reliability of mechanical somatosensory assessment of masticatory structures. The ICC values of 75% of all quantitative sensory measurements were considered fair to excellent (fair = 8.4%, good = 33.3% and excellent = 33.3%). However, the CPM paradigm presented poor reliability (ICC=0.25).

Conclusion

The mechanical somatosensory assessment of the masticatory structures, but not the proposed CPM protocol, can be considered sufficiently reliable over time to evaluate the trigeminal sensory function.

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