Association of Heart Murmur and Mitral Valve Prolapse to TMD

The incidence of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is estimated at 5-15% and temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) at 3-7% in the general population. TMD and MVP are similar in that, both affect connective tissue and both occur predominantly in females. It remains uncertain whether a subset of subjects with both TMD and MVP share a common inherited collagen disorder. Objective: To quantify the subset of patients with a diagnosis of TMD in the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research's TMJ Implant Registry and Repository (NIDCR's TIRR) who have a history of heart murmur and/or MVP. Methods: TMD subjects recruited to NIDCR's TIRR (n=419) were evaluated for heart murmur and MVP through their medical records. Both males and females were included in the study. All subjects with a positive history of MVP or heart murmur or both, previously diagnosed by a physician, were identified. Results: The study population consisted of more women (n=395) than men (n=24). Fifty-one subjects reported heart murmur (12.2%) of which only 2 were males. Thirty subjects, all females, reported MVP (7.2%). Twelve subjects, all females, reported both MVP and heart murmur (2.9%). The majority of subjects reporting either MVP or heart murmur were greater than thirty years of age. Conclusion: The subset of subjects identified with MVP and heart murmur in the TMD population is in accordance with the findings in the general population. Plans are underway to further characterize this subset of subjects for a shared genetic pathway utilizing microchip arrays.

Funded and supported by NIDCR's TIRR/NO1-DE-22635