title: Sleep disturbances of adult women suffering from fibromyalgia: a systematic review of observational studies.
abstract: Although sleep complaints are often reported in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), there is no conclusive evidence that these complaints represent symptomatic disorders of sleep physiology. Thus, the question of the role of sleep disturbances as an etiological or maintenance factor in FMS remains open. This study identifies the subjective and objective characteristics of sleep disturbances in adult women diagnosed with FMS. We carried out a systematic review of publications since 1990, the publication year of the American College of Rheumatology criteria of FMS. We selected empirical studies comparing sleep characteristics of adult women with FMS and healthy women or women with rheumatic diseases. We identified 42 articles. Patients with FMS were more likely to exhibit sleep complaints and also a less efficient, lighter and fragmented sleep. The evidence of a FMS signature on objective measures of sleep is inconsistent, however, as the majority of studies lacks statistical power. Current evidence cannot confirm the role played by sleep physiology in the pathogenesis or maintenance of FMS symptoms; nonetheless, it is clear that sleep disturbances are present in this syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center-CIMCYC, University of Granada, Spain; College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA. Electronic address: dipie@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Diaz-Piedra
authors.affiliation: Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center-CIMCYC, University of Granada, Spain; Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Leandro L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Di Stasi
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Carol M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.affiliation: Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center-CIMCYC, University of Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Gualberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buela-Casal
authors.affiliation: Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center-CIMCYC, University of Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Catena
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000150:complications; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications*
keywords: Actigraphy; Alpha-EEG sleep; Arousal; Chronic pain; Fibromyalgia; Polysomnography; Sleep