title: Correlation between pressure pain threshold and pain intensity in patients with temporomandibular disorders who are compliant or non-compliant with conservative treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the correlation between pain measurements performed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in individuals with temporomandibular disorders who underwent conservative treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study assessed 78 individuals diagnosed with myofascial pain, and the treatment consisted of counseling and self-care therapy sessions. Pain was assessed by means of a VAS and PPT at baseline (T0), after 15 to 30 days (T1), and after 75 to 90 days (T2). The participants were divided into two groups: "Compliant Group" and "Non-Compliant Group." The data were analyzed by means of Spearman's correlation test and Friedman's analysis of variance by ranks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlations were not identified between the VAS and PPT values at time points-T0, T1, or T2-in any group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although, VAS and PPT represent subjective features, such as the perception of pain, the hypothesis that high pain intensity levels are equivalent to high pain sensitivity levels was not demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology and Genetics, Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo State (SP), Brazil. Electronic address: monique.lalue@unifesp.br.
authors.forename: Monique Lalue
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sanches
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Universidade de Santo Amaro, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Yara
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Juliano
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Universidade de Santo Amaro, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Neil Ferreira
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Novo
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology and Genetics, Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo State (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio Sergio
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo César
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rodrigues Conti
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology and Genetics, Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo State (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Garcia
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Alonso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003376:Counseling; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012648:Self Care; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*