Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and traits in patients with burning mouth syndrome: a cross-sectional multicentric analysis.

Objective: This study investigates the frequency and characteristics of obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) in patients with Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS).

Background: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic condition involving intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions), while Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is a personality disorder characterized by specific traits such as perfectionism, rigidity and need for control. Both conditions frequently overlap, but their prevalence in patients with BMS has never been explored.

Materials and methods: A total of 151 BMS patients were assessed using the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), Compulsive Personality Assessment Scale (CPAS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), Hamilton Anxiety and Depression scales (HAM-A, HAM-D), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Patients were grouped based on OCI and CPAS scores.

Results: n = 123 (81.6%) of our sample were females, with a mean age of 63.19 ± 12.2 years. Clinically significant OC symptoms (OCI-R > 21) were observed in 41.7% of the sample, while 37% met OCPD criteria; both OC symptoms and OCPD were present in 24.5% of patients.

Conclusions: BMS patients show a high prevalence of OC symptoms and OCPD traits, which should be taken into account by clinicians and considered in the therapeutic approach, given that they could complicate symptom management.

Clinical relevance: By identifying these symptoms and traits through OCI-R and CPAS, clinicians may improve treatment strategies, in the perspective of a multidisciplinary tailored and personalized approach.