Figure 2.

(a) Change in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) resting pain intensity after intra-articular glucocorticoid treatment in 7 patients with lower level than median group (< 37 nmol/L) and 3 patients with higher level than median pretreatment plasma levels (≥ 37 nmol/L) of serotonin (5-HT) in patients with chronic inflammatory joint disease. There was a positive correlation between 5-HT and change in resting pain intensity after treatment (r_s = 0.66, n = 10, P = .040). (b) Change in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pressure-pain threshold after intra-articular glucocorticoid treatment in 5 patients with lower level than median group (< 37 nmol/L) and 5 patients with higher level than median pretreatment plasma levels (≥ 37 nmol/L) of serotonin in patients with chronic inflammatory joint disease. There was a positive correlation between 5-HT and change in pressure-pain threshold after treatment (r_s = 0.83, n = 10, P = .003).