Coexistence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is characterized by pain all over the body, whose diagnosis and treatment are not fully understood. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a disease that causes apnea, hypopnea and oxygen desaturation due to collapse in the upper respiratory tract and is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue and lack of attention. Symptoms and signs of OSAS and fibromyalgia are similar. In our study, we aimed to compare the association of fibromyalgia in female OSAS patients in terms of polysomnography and laboratory parameters.

We aimed to examine the association of fibromyalgia in patients with female OSAS. A total of 190 female OSAS patients were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of fibromyalgia: 88 (46.3%) patients in the fibromyalgia group and 102 (53.7%) patients in the control group. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program was used for the evaluation of demographic data, polysomnography parameters and laboratory tests of the patients, and values with p<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Mean age of the patients was 52.1 ± 11.9 years and mean body mass index (BMI) was 35.1 ± 7.2. There was no difference between age and BMI (p= 0.971, p= 0.716, respectively). Periodic leg movements (PLMS) were higher in the fibromyalgia group (p= 0.02). The desaturation index (CT90) was found to be high in the fibromyalgia group (p= 0.043). The minimum SaO2 value was found to be low in the fibromyalgia group (p= 0.022). Sleep latency was found to be higher in the fibromyalgia group (p= 0.031). Hemoglobin and hematocrit values were found to be statistically significantly higher in the fibromyalgia group (p= 0.020, p= 0.027, respectively). Triglyceride level was found to be high in the fibromyalgia group (p= 0.043).

We recommend clinical evaluation of female patients with fibromyalgia and we suggest polysomnography, especially in patients with excessive daytime sleepiness. Early diagnosis and treatment of concomitant OSAS will contribute to quality of fibromyalgia patients' life.