[Preliminary study of autoimmune reaction in temporomandibular joint disturbance syndrome]

Antibodies to type II collagen in the synovial fluids of fourteen patients who were suffered from temporomandibular joint disturbance syndrome (TMJDS) were assayed with passive hemagglutination. Five of the fourteen patients were positive in the test and the others were negative. Among the five positive patients, two patients were in the stage of structural disturbance (internal derangement); the rest in the stage of substantial destruction (osteoarthritis). We also assayed the sera from four patients with the same method. They were all negative. The result showed that autoimmune reaction may take part in the course of TMJDS because of the exposure of some sequestered antigens. So in addition to the traditional etiologic theories of TMJDS, such as occlusal factor, psychologic factor, et al, the autoimmune factor also plays some roles in the disease.