Trigeminal neuralgia: a retrospective multicentre study of 320 Asian patients.

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to obtain the clinicodemographic data regarding patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) treated at oral-maxillofacial medicine clinics, as there is a paucity of such information in the Asian setting.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter study involving clinicodemographic information of 320 patients with TN diagnosed between 2001 and 2012 at eight regional oral-maxillofacial medicine clinics and followed up for at least 6 months. Statistical tests were performed to assess the associations among the clinicodemographic factors.

RESULTS: TN was mostly diagnosed during the seventh and sixth decades of life, with a median of 58.2 years (interquartile range = 13.0). Females were more commonly affected (61.6%). TN affected the right side more frequently, and the mandibular branch was most commonly involved (58.5%). Carbamazepine was the first-line drug of choice (87.5%).

CONCLUSIONS: Asian patients with TN exhibited features similar to those in Caucasian patients except for the increased affliction of the mandibular division.