Psychological profiles and sleep quality differences between patients with persistent idiopathic facial pain and trigeminal neuralgia: a 7-year retrospective study

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify differences in psychosocial profiles and sleep quality between patients diagnosed with classical trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and persistent idiopathic facial pain (PIFP). Study Design: Archival data of 84 patients diagnosed with TN and 46 patients diagnosed with PIFP were used to compare pain interference, affective distress, anxiety and depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and sleep quality measures using Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Significant differences between the 2 groups were determined using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and chi-square analyses. Results: Anxiety symptoms were higher for patients with TN compared to PIFP. Both groups presented with clinically significant sleep disturbances (PSQI > 5). For patients who indicated past trauma exposure (n = 44), the TN group reported significantly higher post-traumatic stress symptoms compared with the PIFP group. Conclusions: Anxiety symptoms were significantly elevated in the TN group compared to PIFP. For patients who indicated past trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were greater for the TN group compared with the PIFP group.