SELF-REPORTED FACIAL PAIN IN A NATIONWIDE STUDY: UK BIOBANK
The aim is to determine the prevalence of facial pain (FP) in a national UK study and to examine the hypothesis that symptoms are associated with socio-demographic, dental, adverse psychological factors and pain elsewhere in the body.
METHODS:
Cross-sectional population data were obtained from UK Biobank study which was conducted in 2006-2010 and recruited 500,000 people aged between 40-69 years (www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/). Participants were asked whether they had experienced facial pain in the past month and information was collected on socio-demographic, psychological and dental factors and pain elsewhere in the body. Analysis was by Cox regression with results expressed as Relative Risks (RR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI).
RESULTS:
The overall prevalence of FP was 3.6% (women 4.4%, men 2.7%). The highest prevalence was found in the 50-54 age group (5% women, 3.1% men) and the lowest in the 65-69 age group (4% women, 2.2% men). There was a difference in prevalence by ethnicity (ranging between 2.1% and 7.1% in persons reporting themselves as Chinese and Black respectively) and by deprivation (2.7% in least deprived and 6.3% in most deprived). FP was more common in individuals with history of painful gums in the past year (RR 1.4; 95% CI 1.3,1.6), toothache (1.6; 1.4,1.7) and history of depression (1.2; 1.1,1.3). Reporting of FP was particularly associated with widespread body pain (5.6:5.0, 6,4) and headache (4.7; 4.3, 5.2), but was also significantly related to pain elsewhere (sites with RR>1.5 were neck/shoulder (1.9; 1.7,2.1) and stomach (1.8; 1.6,2.0))
CONCLUSIONS:
This is the largest ever study to provide estimates of FP prevalence. It demonstrates unique features (lower prevalence than previously reported, relationship to ethnicity) but confirms multifactorial aetiology of FP. Significant association with psychological distress and to pain elsewhere in the body suggests that there is a common aetiology with other regional pains.