Association of TMJ, Knee Pain and Quality-of-Life (QoL): Osteoarthritis-Initiative Study

Objectives:   To evaluate and characterize the association of temporomandibular joint-associated pain (TMJP) and knee pain (KP) and quality of life (QoL) characteristics in persons with/without knee osteoarthritis (OA) participating in a longitudinal study: Osteoarthritis-Initiative (OAI) .  Methods: Baseline OAI data for 4796 subjects. Univariate/bivariate/ multivariable analysis was conducted using chi-square/t-tests, ANOVA and logistic regression to study the association of TMJP with KP and QoL, and the impact of age, body mass index, sex, race and family history on TMJP. Results:   Preliminary results suggest that 7.3% of the subjects reported TMJP (1085 with and 3706 without history of KP in either/both knees). Though the mean number of days of experiencing TMJP was substantial, it did not differ by KP (No: 9.0; KP: 8.7). Those with TMJP were significantly more likely to experience KP (OR: 47.3, 95%CI: 39.6, 56.7) and were more likely to have some kind of OA symptoms (OR: 2.1, CI: 1.7, 2.6). For those with KP (vs. no KP), number of days TMJP prevented usual activities (0.8 vs 1.2), was not significantly greater. Those with bilateral KP had 2 days of usual activity prevented by TMJP. Of those with TMJP, 27% reported doing very well with their OA symptoms compared to 38% of those without TMJP (P<0.001). The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) QoL scores were significantly better for those with no TMJP compared to those with TMJP (P<0.001). Results were similar for race and sex.  Conclusions:  TMJP was positively and very strongly associated with KP and negatively associated with QoL. Better understanding of the relationship between TMJP and OA risk factors will help to describe subsets of OA at greater risk of TMJP. This study is supported by NIDCR and NIAMS.