title: Temporomandibular Disorders in Psoriasis Patients with and without Psoriatic Arthritis: An Observational Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Psoriasis is a chronic, remitting and relapsing inflammatory disorder, involving the skin, nails, scalp and mucous membranes, that impairs patients' quality of life to varying degrees. Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic seronegative, inflammatory arthritis, usually preceded by psoriasis. Temporomandibular disorders is a generic term referred to clinical conditions involving the jaw muscles and temporomandibular joint. The aim of this study was to assess symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders in psoriasis patients with and without psoriatic arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group included 112 patients (56 men, 56 women; median age 49.7±12 years) with psoriasis, 25 of them were affected by psoriatic arthritis. A group of 112 subjects without psoriasis (56 men, 56 women; median age 47.7±17 years) served as controls. Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders were evaluated according to the standardized Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. Psoriasis patients were subgrouped according to the presence/absence of psoriatic arthritis and by gender, to assess the prevalence of traditional symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with psoriasis, and to an even greater extent those with psoriatic arthritis, were more frequently affected by symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders, including an internal temporomandibular joint opening derangement than healthy subjects. A statistically significant increase in symptoms of temporomandibular disorders, in opening derangement, bruxism and sounds of temporomandibular joint was found in patients with psoriatic arthritis as compared with psoriasis patients without arthritis and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  psoriasis seems to play a role in temporomandibular joint disorders, causing an increase in orofacial pain and an altered chewing function.
authors.affiliation: 1. Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, Italy;
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Crincoli
authors.affiliation: 2. Research Assistant and Professor, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariasevera
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Comite
authors.affiliation: 1. Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, Italy;
authors.forename: Maria Beatrice
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Di Bisceglie
authors.affiliation: 1. Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, Italy;
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fatone
authors.affiliation: 1. Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, Italy;
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Favia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002012:Bruxism / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: psoriasis; psoriatic arthritis; temporomandibular disorders. RDC/TMD.