MUSCULOSKELETAL COMPLAINTS AND FIBROMYALGIA IN PATIENTS ATTENDING A RESPIRATORY SLEEP DISORDERS CLINIC

Objective. To determine the frequency of fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome an d reporting of pain in an unselected group of patients attending a res piratory sleep disorders clinic, and to examine the association of phy sical activity and levels of reported pain. Methods. 108 consecutive p atients attending a respiratory sleep disorders clinic were interviewe d and examined, blind to sleep disorder status. Assessment of musculos keletal pain symptoms included patient history of pain, painful sites marked on a mannequin, visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, and tende r point count. Daily physical activity was recorded, and all patients underwent nocturnal polysomnograyhy, blind to clinical status. Results . FM was identified in 3 patients (2.7%). Pain reporting was more stro ngly associated with reduced physical activity than with a specific sl eep disorder Patients with reduced physical activity were more likely to have pain symptoms than physically active patients: tender point co unt greater than or equal to 6 (p = 0.002), greater than or equal to 3 sites marked on mannequin (p = 0.008), axial pain (p = 0.003), and VA S pain score (p = 0.008). Conclusion. FM by defined criteria was uncom mon in patients with a primary complaint of disturbed sleep, and in pa rticular, patients with sleep apnea. Reduced physical activity was str ongly associated with reported pain symptoms.