J Clin Med Res

Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website http://www.jocmr.org

Original Article

Volume 4, Number 5, October 2012, pages 323-331

Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings of the Temporomandibular Joint in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

**Table 1.** Demographic Characteristics
Variables	Control Group	Patient Group	P-value
Age	42.0 ± 10.3	38.8 ± 11.6	0.264
Gender			0.754
Male	6 (20.0%)	7 (23.3%)
Female	24 (80.0%)	23 (76.7%)
Education Level			0.956
Literate	22 (73.3%)	20 (66.7%)
Elementary	6 (20.0%)	7 (23.3%)
Secondary	1 (3.3%)	2 (6.7%)
High School	1 (3.3%)	1 (3.3%)

Table 1. Demographic Characteristics

Variables

Control Group

Patient Group

P-value

Age

42.0 ± 10.3

38.8 ± 11.6

0.264

Gender

0.754

Male

6 (20.0%)

7 (23.3%)

Female

24 (80.0%)

23 (76.7%)

Education Level

0.956

Literate

22 (73.3%)

20 (66.7%)

Elementary

6 (20.0%)

7 (23.3%)

Secondary

1 (3.3%)

2 (6.7%)

High School

1 (3.3%)

**Table 2.** Disease Duration, DAS28, Sharp Score, and Hand Grip Forces in the Group With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Variables	n = 30
Disease duration (month)	63.3 ± 52.7
DAS28	4.9 ± 1.1
Sharp score	57.5 ± 30.6
Hand Grip Force-Right	10.0 ± 2.9
Hand Grip Force-Left	11.2 ± 2.6

Table 2. Disease Duration, DAS28, Sharp Score, and Hand Grip Forces in the Group With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Variables

n = 30

Disease duration (month)

63.3 ± 52.7

DAS28

4.9 ± 1.1

Sharp score

57.5 ± 30.6

Hand Grip Force-Right

10.0 ± 2.9

Hand Grip Force-Left

11.2 ± 2.6

**Table 3.** Jaw Tightening Force and Mouth Opening Comparison of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Control Groups
	Control Group	Case Group	P-value
Jaw Tightening Force-Right	28.5 (20 - 36)	12.5 (5 - 36)	< 0.001
Jaw Tightening Force-Left	28 (22 - 34)	12 (7 - 30)	< 0.001
Mouth Opening	5 (5 - 5)	3 (2.3 - 5)	< 0.001

Table 3. Jaw Tightening Force and Mouth Opening Comparison of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Control Groups

Control Group

Case Group

P-value

Jaw Tightening Force-Right

28.5 (20 - 36)

12.5 (5 - 36)

< 0.001

Jaw Tightening Force-Left

28 (22 - 34)

12 (7 - 30)

< 0.001

Mouth Opening

5 (5 - 5)

3 (2.3 - 5)

< 0.001

**Table 4.** Distribution of Cases Based on the Degree of TMJ Involvement According to MRI and Fonseca’s Questionnaire in the RA Group
Involvement	MRI (Right TMJ)	MRI (Left TMJ)	Fonseca’s questionnaire
MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging; TMJ: Temporomandibular Joint.
Normal	1 (3.3%)	4 (13.3%)	1 (3.3%)
Mild	11 (36.7%)	12 (40.0%)	3 (10.0%)
Moderate	13 (43.3%)	9 (30.0%)	18 (60.0%)
Severe	5 (16.7%)	5 (16.7%)	8 (26.7%)

Table 4. Distribution of Cases Based on the Degree of TMJ Involvement According to MRI and Fonseca’s Questionnaire in the RA Group

Involvement

MRI
(Right TMJ)

MRI
(Left TMJ)

Fonseca’s questionnaire

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging; TMJ: Temporomandibular Joint.

Normal

1 (3.3%)

4 (13.3%)

1 (3.3%)

Mild

11 (36.7%)

12 (40.0%)

3 (10.0%)

Moderate

13 (43.3%)

9 (30.0%)

18 (60.0%)

Severe

5 (16.7%)

8 (26.7%)

**Table 5.** Correlations (CC) Between Temporomandibular Joint Parameters
Variables		Jaw Tightening Force (Right)	Mouth Opening	Fonseca’s Questionnaire	MRI (Right TMJ)	MRI (Left TMJ)
MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging; TMJ: Temporomandibular Joint.
Jaw tightening force (Left)	CC	0.924	0.841	-0.749	-0.796	-0.833
	P	< 0.001	< 0.001	< 0.001	< 0.001	< 0.001
Jaw tightening force (Right)	CC		0.826	-0.686	-0.884	-0.707
	P		< 0.001	< 0.001	< 0.001	< 0.001
Mouth opening	CC			-0.569	-0.651	-0.610
	P			< 0.001	< 0.001	< 0.001
Fonseca’ Questionnaire	CC				0.679	0.856
	P				< 0.001	< 0.001
MRI (Right)	CC					0.709
	P					< 0.001

Table 5. Correlations (CC) Between Temporomandibular Joint Parameters

Variables

Jaw Tightening Force (Right)

Mouth Opening

Fonseca’s Questionnaire

MRI
(Right TMJ)

MRI
(Left TMJ)

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging; TMJ: Temporomandibular Joint.

Jaw tightening force (Left)

0.924

0.841

-0.749

-0.796

-0.833

< 0.001

Jaw tightening force (Right)

0.826

-0.686

-0.884

-0.707

< 0.001

Mouth opening

-0.569

-0.651

-0.610

< 0.001

Fonseca’ Questionnaire

0.679

0.856

< 0.001

MRI (Right)

0.709

< 0.001

**Table 6.** Correlation Coefficient (CC) and the Level of Significance (P) Between Temporomandibular Joint Parameters With ESH, CRP, Hand Grip Force, Sharp Score, and DAS28
Variables		Sharp score	ESR	CRP	RF	HGF-Right	HGF-Left	DAS28	Disease duration
ESH: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP: C-Reactive protein; RF: Rheumatoid factor; MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging; ESG: Hand Grip Force.
Hand grip force (left)	CC	-0.808	0.022	-0.006	-0.004	0.593	0.454	-0.924	-0.776
	P	< 0.001	0.908	0.973	0.982	< 0.001	0.012	< 0.001	< 0.001
Jaw tight force (right)	CC	-0.771	-0.116	-0.095	-0.032	0.552	0.562	-0.854	-0.735
	P	< 0.001	0.542	0.617	0.868	0.002	< 0.001	< 0.001	< 0.001
Mouth opening	CC	-0.668	0.067	0.071	-0.055	0.499	0.394	-0.75	-0.649
	P	< 0.001	0.725	0.711	0.774	0.005	0.031	< 0.001	< 0.001
Investigation	CC	0.820	-0.026	0.136	0.156	-0.473	-0.387	0.855	0.807
	P	< 0.001	0.893	0.474	0.411	0.008	0.035	< 0.001	< 0.001
MRI (Right)	CC	0.694	0.178	0.193	-0.005	-0.596	-0.197	0.785	0.706
	P	< 0.001	0.347	0.307	0.979	< 0.001	0.296	< 0.001	< 0.001
MRI (Left)	CC	0.755	-0.164	-0.142	-0.098	-0.472	-0.491	0.890	0.760
	P	< 0.001	0.386	0.453	0.608	0.008	0.006	< 0.001	< 0.001

Table 6. Correlation Coefficient (CC) and the Level of Significance (P) Between Temporomandibular Joint Parameters With ESH, CRP, Hand Grip Force, Sharp Score, and DAS28

Variables

Sharp score

ESR

CRP

HGF-Right

HGF-Left

DAS28

Disease duration

ESH: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP: C-Reactive protein; RF: Rheumatoid factor; MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging; ESG: Hand Grip Force.

Hand grip force (left)

-0.808

0.022

-0.006

-0.004

0.593

0.454

-0.924

-0.776

< 0.001

0.908

0.973

0.982

< 0.001

0.012

< 0.001

Jaw tight force (right)

-0.771

-0.116

-0.095

-0.032

0.552

0.562

-0.854

-0.735

< 0.001

0.542

0.617

0.868

0.002

< 0.001

Mouth opening

-0.668

0.067

0.071

-0.055

0.499

0.394

-0.75

-0.649

< 0.001

0.725

0.711

0.774

0.005

0.031

< 0.001

Investigation

0.820

-0.026

0.136

0.156

-0.473

-0.387

0.855

0.807

< 0.001

0.893

0.474

0.411

0.008

0.035

< 0.001

MRI (Right)

0.694

0.178

0.193

-0.005

-0.596

-0.197

0.785

0.706

< 0.001

0.347

0.307

0.979

< 0.001

0.296

< 0.001

MRI (Left)

0.755

-0.164

-0.142

-0.098

-0.472

-0.491

0.890

0.760

< 0.001

0.386

0.453

0.608

0.008

0.006

< 0.001