title: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Guided Self-Help Intervention to Manage Chronic Orofacial Pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a pilot trial to test the feasibility of a guided self-help intervention for chronic orofacial pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the intervention with usual treatment. A total of 37 patients with chronic orofacial pain were randomized into either the intervention group (n = 19) or the usual treatment (control) group (n = 18). Validated outcome measures were used to measure the potential effectiveness of the intervention over a number of domains: physical and mental functioning (Short Form 36 [SF-36]); anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]); pain intensity and interference with life (Brief Pain Inventory [BPI]); disability (Manchester Orofacial Pain Disability Scale [MOPDS]); and illness behavior (Revised Illness Perceptions Questionnaire [IPQr]). Bootstrap confidence intervals were computed for the treatment effect (ES) posttreatment and at 3 months follow-up and adjusted for baseline values of the outcome measure by using analysis of covariance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At posttreatment and the 3-month follow-up, 11 participants in the intervention group and 7 in the control group failed to complete outcome measures. The intervention was acceptable and could be feasibly delivered face to face or over the telephone. Although the pilot trial was not powered to draw conclusions about the effectiveness, it showed significant (P < .05) effects of the intervention on physical and mental functioning and treatment control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The self-help intervention was acceptable to patients and allowed them to better understand and self-manage chronic orofacial pain. It showed potential effectiveness on outcome domains related to functioning and illness perception. Further research is needed to understand the cost effectiveness of the intervention for chronic orofacial pain.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goldthorpe
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lovell
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McGowan
authors.forename: Imola
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nemeth
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Vishal R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety; D003863:Depression; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult