Association between primary Sjögren's disease and temporomandibular disorder in Taiwan: a 15-year nationwide cohort, with an exploratory analysis of hydroxychloroquine.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between primary Sjögren’s disease (pSjD) and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) has received little attention in previous studies. Therefore, we investigated this association using data from a large, population-based cohort. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from Taiwan’s Longitudinal Generation Tracking Database for the period 2000–2015. Patients with pSjD (n = 36,195) were compared with matched controls (n = 144,780). Cox regression analysis estimated the risk of TMD, adjusting for comorbidities and medication exposure. RESULTS: pSjD was significantly associated with an increased risk of TMD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.921, 95% confidence interval = 1.39–2.58, p < 0.001). In secondary analyses, differences in observed incidence were noted across HCQ exposure groups. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously due to potential confounding by indication and database limitations. CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide cohort study demonstrates a significant association between pSjD and subsequent TMD development. Findings related to HCQ exposure require further investigation in prospective studies.