A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Palmitoylethanolamide for the Treatment of Pain in Arthrogenic Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction and Related Disorders

Abstract

Arthrogenic temporomandibular joint dysfunction is a prevalent condition often associated with arthralgia. It is also commonly caused by osteoarthritis. Palmitoylethanolamide has been reported to exhibit analgesic, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in pain pathological conditions. This paper will critically appraise recent evidence on the effectiveness of palmitoylethanolamide for the treatment of pain in arthrogenic temporomandibular joint dysfunction and related disorders. This paper will assess both the magnitude and longevity of the analgesic effect of palmitoylethanolamide. Method: An electronic database search was performed by two independent authors on the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Medline and Embase. A total of 23 articles were retrieved including relevant articles from reference lists. After the elimination of duplicates and further eligibility screening, a resultant total of 5 articles were suitable for review. One of these was a retrospective cohort study while the following 4 were randomised clinical trials. There was considerable heterogeneity of primary outcome variables and trial design across all selected studies which did not permit a meta-analysis of results. Conclusion: Palmitoylethanolamide is effective for the treatment of pain in arthrogenic temporomandibular joint dysfunction and related disorders. However, the longevity of palmitoylethanolamide-induced analgesia remains unclear. Further high-quality trials are warranted to reveal the relative effectiveness of palmitoylethanolamide in comparison to current medication.