Orofacial pain with vascular-type features.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether a classifiable primary vascular-type craniofacial pain subgroup exists that predominantly affects intraoral structures.


METHODS
Fifty-five patients were chosen prospectively according to the following inclusion criteria; periodic craniofacial pain that was unilateral, pulsatile, severe, and that may wake the patient from sleep. Accompanying phenomena could include local autonomic and/or systemic signs. Twenty-six cases could be further classified into one of the categories of vascular craniofacial pain. The remaining 29, all with predominantly intraoral pain, were not readily classifiable.


RESULTS
Of the 29 patients 70% were women, with an average onset-age of 42.6 years. All reported severe, episodic pain that was usually unilateral and lasted minutes to hours. In all, 55% of patients had autonomic or systemic signs, 48% had pulsatile pain, and 35.4% of patients were awakened by the pain.


CONCLUSIONS
Although clinical similarities were observed within these patients, further studies are needed to confirm vascular orofacial pain as a clear diagnostic category.
Benoliel
R
R
Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Medicine, and Oral Radiology, Hebrew University, Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
Elishoov
H
H
Sharav
Y
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D003027:Cluster Headache / Q000150:complications; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012737:Sex Factors; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014653:Vascular Headaches / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology