A systematic review of screening diagnostic tools for trigeminal neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a rare chronic neuropathic pain condition of sudden and severe pain, often described as an electric shock. Diagnosis is challenging for non-expert clinicians, particularly in primary care settings. We wanted to identify and assess the diagnostic accuracy of existing screening tools for TN and orofacial pain that could be used to support the diagnosis of TN in primary care.

We searched key databases (MEDLINE, ASSIA, Embase, and Web of Knowledge and PsycINFO) supplemented by citation tracking from January 1988 to 2021. We used an adapted version of the Quality of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) to assess the methodological quality of each study.

Searches identified five studies, from the UK, USA and Canada; three validated self-report questionnaires; and two artificial neural networks. All screened for multiple orofacial pain diagnoses, including dentoalveolar pain, musculoskeletal pain (temporomandibular disorders) and neurological pain (trigeminal neuralgia, headache, atypical facial pain and postherpetic neuralgia). The overall quality assessment was low for one study.

Diagnosis of TN can be challenging for non-expert clinicians. Our review found few existing screening tools to diagnose TN, and none is currently suitable to be used in primary care settings. This evidence supports the need to adapt an existing tools or to create a new tool for this purpose. The development of an appropriate screening questionnaire could assist non-expert dental and medical clinicians to identify TN more effectively and empower them to manage or refer patients for treatment more effectively.