Keywords:
Musculoskeletal system, Musculoskeletal joint, Musculoskeletal soft tissue, Ultrasound, Computer Applications-Detection, diagnosis, Pathology
Authors:
P. MORENO GRANERO, P.-R. Rafael, B. Jose, M. Maria, M. L. Peris Pérez; Valencia/ES
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2018/C-0814
Results
A total of 66 subjects were included in the study: 31 MFP-subjects and 35 controls.
None of the MFP-subjects or controls were excluded due to ultrasound-detected organic MM disease.
Likewise,
no subjects required exclusion a posteriori due to the absence of teeth in posterior segments,
since the routine panoramic X-rays obtained on the first visit in all subjects with TMD excluded this possibility.
The gender distribution was 8 males and 27 females in the control group and one male and 30 females in the study group.
The mean age was 42.3 ± 17.5 years in the study group and 43.9 ± 16.9 years in control group (F=0.48; p=.49).
Twelve MFP-subjects presented MFP with involvement of the right MM (38.7%); 11 presented MFP with involvement of the left MM (35.5%); and 8 presented MFP with involvement of both MMs (25.8%).
First,
the intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated (required for reliability and continuation of the study) based on 10 MFP-subjects and 10 controls selected at random between 2-3 months after the first measurement,
again with blinding of the ultrasound evaluator.
All the correlation coefficients were > .75,
thus confirming the reliability of the measurements (Table 1).(6)
No significant differences were observed in the width of the MMs under either resting conditions or at maximum contraction between the MFP-subjects and controls.
Indeed,
all the measurements were found to be very similar in both groups,
with an apparently low standard deviation (Table 2).
Likewise,
there were no statistically significant differences in the increase in width (amplitude) of the MMs between the MFP-subjects and controls referred to either side,
in both absolute terms (width at maximum contraction minus UOC width) and as relative values (width at maximum contraction / UOC width)(Table 3)
The influence of the location of MFP upon MM width was evaluated comparing the MFP-subjectswith unilateral MFP (12 right side,
11 left side) versus the control group,
using the Mann-Whitney U-test.
No significant differences were observed (Table 4).
The influence of age upon MM width was assessed by linear regression analysis.
The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed no significant differences.
The Spearman correlation coefficient based on the left MM under resting conditions likewise revealed no statistically significant differences.
Linear regression analysis was also used to examine the influence of the duration of MFP upon MM width among the MFP-subjects,
and revealed no significant differences (Table 5).