Musculoskeletal complaints and fibromyalgia in patients attending a respiratory sleep disorders clinic.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome and reporting of pain in an unselected group of patients attending a respiratory sleep disorders clinic, and to examine the association of physical activity and levels of reported pain.


METHODS
108 consecutive patients attending a respiratory sleep disorders clinic were interviewed and examined, blind to sleep disorder status. Assessment of musculoskeletal pain symptoms included patient history of pain, painful sites marked on a mannequin, visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, and tender point count. Daily physical activity was recorded, and all patients underwent nocturnal polysomnography, blind to clinical status.


RESULTS
FM was identified in 3 patients (2.7%). Pain reporting was more strongly associated with reduced physical activity than with a specific sleep disorder. Patients with reduced physical activity were more likely to have pain symptoms than physically active patients: tender point count > or = 6 (p = 0.002), > or = 3 sites marked on mannequin (p = 0.008), axial pain (p = 0.003), and VAS pain score (p = 0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
FM by defined criteria was uncommon in patients with a primary complaint of disturbed sleep, and in particular, patients with sleep apnea. Reduced physical activity was strongly associated with reported pain symptoms.
Donald
F
F
Rheumatic Diseases Unit, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Esdaile
J M
JM
Kimoff
J R
JR
Fitzcharles
M A
MA
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017286:Polysomnography; D015995:Prevalence; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis