Juvenile idiopathic arthritis and the temporomandibular joint: a case-control study of magnetic resonance imaging findings in relation to clinical and psychosocial factors

Authors

  • A Dimitrijevic Carlsson Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. Center for Oral Rehabilitation, in Linköping, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences, Malmö
  • K Wahlund Department of Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Kalmar County Hospital, Kalmar
  • E Klintstrom Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV) and Department of Radiology in Linköping and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping
  • H Salé Department of Neuroradiology, Center of Medical imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund
  • E Kindgren Department of Pediatrics, Västervik Hospital, Västervik, Sweden. Division of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. Department of Pediatrics, Skaraborg Hospital, Skövde
  • C Starkhammar Johansson Center for Oral Rehabilitation, in Linköping, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping
  • P Alstergren Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences, Malmö, Sweden. Skåne University Hospital, Specialized Pain Rehabilitation, Lund, Sweden. Orofacial Pain Unit, Malmö University, Malmö

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23804/ejpd.2023.24.01.12

Keywords:

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Magnetic resonance imaging, Orofacial pain, Psychosocial factors, Temporomandibular joint

Abstract

AIM: In juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a particularly challenging joint to assess both clinically and with imaging. The aim of this article is to investigate TMJ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in relation to clinical and psychosocial factors in patients with JIA and healthy individuals related to TMJ arthritis in JIA. MATERIALS: In total, 45 patients (6–16 years) with JIA and 16 healthy age- and sex-matched controls were examined according to the diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD). The subjects answered questionnaires about psychosocial factors (pain intensity, pain-related disability, depression, stress, catastrophising, pain locations, and jaw function) and underwent bilateral MRI of the TMJ. CONCLUSION: This study indicates a substantial overlap of TMJ MRI findings in both the inflammatory domain and the damage domain between JIA patients and healthy individuals. In JIA patients, the inflammatory MRI sign of bone marrow oedema seems to influence orofacial pain intensity.