title: Evaluation of the sensation in patients with trigeminal post-herpetic neuralgia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) is one complication after herpes zoster infection, which may affect the facial superficial sensitivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients with PHN were interviewed and evaluated according to a systematized sensitivity approach, including mechanical, thermal and pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pain location was V1 in 15 patients. All trigeminal branches from both facial sides were evaluated; we compared the affected with the opposite side. There was a significant difference at V1 with cold (P=0.038), vonFrey (P=0.008) and pinpricks (P=0.022); at V2, the statistical difference occurred with cold (P=0.034), heat (P=0.019) and pinpricks (P=0.037); at V3, differences occurred with cold (P=0.042) and heat (P=0.036). Only V1 and oral mucosa (V2-3) presented pain threshold differences between both sides (P=0.001, P=0.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age, predominance of trigeminal PHN in V1 and continuous burning pain was common and similar to literature. Sensation was hampered with evident deficits of all sensory modalities in the affected trigeminal areas, especially V1.
authors.affiliation: Orofacial Pain Team, Dentistry Division, Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio Kurogi
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Silvia Regina Dowgan Tesseroli
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: de Siqueira
authors.forename: Massako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Manoel Jacobsen
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: José Tadeu Tesseroli
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: de Siqueira
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005145:Face / Q000294:innervation*; D005260:Female; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051474:Neuralgia, Postherpetic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009882:Ophthalmic Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology