Depressive symptoms in Asian TMD patients and their association with non-specific physical symptoms reporting.
BACKGROUND
The expression of depression in Asian temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients may differ from that of their Caucasian counterparts. This study examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms and their association with non-specific physical symptoms (NPSs) reporting in Asian patients.


METHODS
Two hundred and fifty-five Asian TMD patients (68 males; 187 females) with a mean age of 33.0 years were selected for this study. Research diagnostic criteria (RDC)/TMD history questionnaire was input directly into computers by patients using the NUS TMDv.1.1 software. Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) depression and NPS scales were generated online and automatically archived for statistical analysis. Data were subjected to ANOVA/Scheffe's test and Pearson's correlation at significance level 0.05 and 0.01, respectively.


RESULTS
43.1 and 50.6% of the patients scored moderate-to-severe on the depression and NPS scales, respectively. The percentage of patients with diffuse physical symptoms remained high (45.5%), even after pain items were excluded from the computation. NPS scores ranged from 0.34 to 1.64, while depression scores ranged from 0.27 to 1.21. A significant and positive correlation (r = 0.74) was observed between depression and NPS scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of depressive symptoms and NPSs was lower in Asian TMD patients. Psychological distress experienced by female Asian TMD patients was comparable to their male counterparts. Results also suggest that depressive symptomatology is associated with the reporting of multiple NPSs.
Yap
Adrian U J
AU
Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, National University of Singapore, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074. rsdyapuj@nus.edu.sg
Chua
E K
EK
Tan
Keson B C
KB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D030881:Disclosure; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors; D012846:Singapore; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*