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Evaluation of the response to electric pulp testing in multiple sclerosis patients without a history of trigeminal
Fatemeh Owlia1, Nazanin Mahmoudzade2, Jalil Modaresi3
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, Social Determinants of Oral Health Research Center, School of Dentistry, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Islamic Republic of Iran. dr.owlia@gmail.com.
Background:
The importance of evaluating the pulpal threshold to electrical stimulation, as a side effect of probable neuropathy in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients is a novel issue. This study aimed to investigate electrical pulp test thresholds in MS patients without a history of trigeminal neuralgia compared to healthy individuals.
Methods:
Sixty-nine maxillary central incisors, belonging to 34 relapsing-remitting MS patients, and 35 healthy individuals were included in this survey. The MS patients matched for intended variables, were 22-50 years old, had a more than 1-year history of MS, no history of trigeminal neuralgia and/or other neuropathy. The electric pulp sensibility test was performed on all samples. Electric pulp testing (EPT) results were recorded based on the pulp tester's grade that evoked a response. Data were analyzed with paired T-test, Mann-Whitney test, and Spearman correlation (P < 0.05).
Results:
According to the results of this study, the mean values of response to EPT were 1.2 ± 0.5 and 1.8 ± 0.5 in MS patients and healthy individuals, respectively. The pulpal response to EPT between the two groups was significantly different (P < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
MS patients showed a significantly reduced response to the electric pulp test in their maxillary central incisors in comparison to matched healthy persons.
