Prostaglandin-E2 Mediated Inflammatory Response and Vas-Reported Pain During Rapid Maxillary Expansion in Patients with and Without Cleft: Prospective Cohort Study

ObjectiveTo compare subjective pain perception and local inflammatory response during rapid maxillary expansion (RME) in patients with and without cleft defects.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingInstitutional clinical setting.ParticipantsSixteen patients were equally allocated to cleft and non-cleft groups (mean age: 9.5 ± 1.9 and 10.5 ± 1.2 years, respectively).InterventionsAll patients underwent tooth-borne rapid maxillary expansion using a standardised activation protocol of two turns per day (0.5 mm/day).Main Outcomes MeasuresLocal inflammatory response was assessed by measuring prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels, while subjective pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Measurements were recorded at baseline (T0), 1 day after the first activation (T1), at 7 days (T2), 14 days (T3), and 5 days after the final activation (T4).ResultsPGE2 peaked at T1 in both groups (cleft = 91.91 ± 48.52 pg/ml, non-cleft = 95.20 ± 53.98 pg/ml), then declined through T4. The values were higher in the non-cleft group, but not significant. VAS scores were significantly higher in the non-cleft group compared to the cleft group at T1 (4.50 ± 0.76 and 3.25 ± 1.67, respectively; p = 0.021), with no significant differences at T2 and T3. By T4, pain levels were minimal in both groups. Pearson correlation demonstrated a weak association between PGE2 levels and VAS scores.ConclusionsPatients without cleft experienced higher subjective pain only after initial RME activation, while local inflammatory responses were comparable between groups throughout treatment.Clinical Trial RegistrationThe Clinical Trials Registry- India (CTRI/2024/06/068906).