Anxiety and depression in chronic TMD-pain patients and controls

Objectives: Aim of this study was to assess the distribution of anxiety and depression within TMD patient subgroups and controls with or without chronic facial pain (CFP).

Methods: 62 men (mean age: 41.45±14.11 years) and 116 women (mean age: 41.44±14.85 years) were included in this study. All TMD-patients suffered from pain for at least 6 months and were divided into two subgroups: exclusively-myofascial-pain group (1) and exclusively-joint-pain group (2). Subjects without signs or symptoms of TMD but with CFP (at least 6 months) and without CFP served as controls. All subjects were examined according to Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders by a calibrated examiner. The German version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, a 14-item self administered rating scale was used for the assessment of anxiety and depression. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to assess gender-specific differences between the subgroups regarding anxiety and depression scores. Additionally, men and women were compared first to each other and then to a general population sample.

Results: Females of group 1 were significantly more depressed than those of the general population as well as females of subgroup 2 (p=0.037). The mean scores for depression in each subgroup did not differ for men, but male controls with CFP were significantly more depressed than female CFP controls. The mean scores for anxiety in each subgroup differed neither for men nor for women.

Conclusions: Depression may play an important role in women with chronic myofascial pain whereas anxiety does not seem to play a significant role, neither in females nor in males.