Impacto da febre Chikungunya na saúde orofacial: Investigação sobre disfunções temporomandibulares

Abstract

Chikungunya is an arboviral disease that may lead to inflammation in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and pain in the masticatory muscles, impacting the orofacial region. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of studies investigating temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in infected patients, particularly regarding prevalence, clinical subtypes, and associated risk. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and types of temporomandibular disorders (DTMs) in patients diagnosed with chikungunya and to examine the relationship between both conditions in the city of Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil. In this study, 156 participants were divided into three groups of 52 individuals each: SH (sem histórico da doença), DR (diagnóstico recente), and PC (pós-chikungunya). Participants were recruited at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Governador Valadares campus, and at municipal health care units, following institutional consent. Data collection included a questionnaire addressing personal data and chikungunya infection history, as well as TMD signs and symptoms, followed by the application of Axis I of the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders protocol (DC/TMD) for the clinical diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders. Statistical analysis was conducted in Excel using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, in addition to the calculation of odds ratio (OR) to identify associations between chikungunya and TMD. No volunteers were found who met the criteria for the CH group. Within the PC group, a high prevalence of TMD was observed (86.5%), with the mixed subtype (muscular and articular) being the most common. There was a significant difference in TMD occurrence between the SH and PC groups (p<0.01): the mixed subtype was more frequent in PC, whereas asymptomatic articular TMD predominated in SH. The odds of having TMD among individuals with a history of chikungunya infection was estimated at OR = 77.0. Most volunteers in the PC group reported that painful orofacial symptoms intensified after the acute phase of infection, although the pain profile was characterized by high intensity and low functional disability. It is concluded that individuals with a history of chikungunya infection may present a high prevalence of TMD and an increased risk of developing mixed TMD after infection.