Temporomandibular joint dysfunction in relation to tinnitus in Peruvian patients: A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT

Background: To determine the relationship between temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD) and tinnitus in Peruvian adult patients. Material and Methods: This observational and cross-sectional study was conducted between April and May 2023, including 76 adult patients from the Otorhinolaryngology Service of Víctor Lazarte Echegaray Essalud Hospital in Trujillo (Peru). The intra- and inter-rater reliability was determined for the clinical measurement of TMJD, obtaining Kappa values above 0.995. To diagnose tinnitus, we worked with a doctor specializing in otolaryngology. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used to analyze results, considering a significance level of p<0.05. Results: A relationship was found between TMJD and tinnitus (p=0.022), increasing the frequency of this disorder as temporomandibular involvement was higher (p=0.043). There was no relation between these disorders according to gender and age, nor in hypertensive patients (p=0.131) or patients suffering from migraine (p=0.147); however, a relationship was found between TMJD and tinnitus in patients with hearing loss (p=0.046). Conclusions: TMJD is associated with tinnitus in otorhinolaryngological and hypoacusis patients. However, in hypertensive and migraine patients, and according to gender and age, no relation was found between those disorders. Key wordsTinnitus, Temporomandibular Joint Disorders, Hearing Loss, Sensorineural, Audiometry, Migraine, Hypertension, Headache.