Sleep Apnoea can cause Fibromyalgia Syndrome type symptoms in partners

A recent study by researchers in Brazil has shown that the partners of men with sleep apnoea are at risk of developing disturbed sleep and symptoms of Fibromyalgia Syndrome. ¹

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been recognised as be a distressing experience to the female partners of OSA patients, but the reason for this remains controversial. Furthermore, a growing body of evidence supports a relationship of distress and sleep disruptions with musculoskeletal pain, also prevalent in middle-aged women.

To test the hypothesis that sharing a bed with an OSA man may contribute to manifestations of distress and impaired sleep, the researchers carried out a case-controlled study of 17 women whose husbands had OSA and 17 women whose husbands were healthy sleepers.

The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and visual analog scales (VAS), tender point (TP) count and algometric index (a measure of pain pressure threshold) were used to measure pain, tenderness and function. Sleep quality was measured using VAS scores for sleep quality and polysomnographic (PSG) parameters. Other outcome measures used were VAS scores for distress and marital relationship and coping strategies adopted by OSA wives. The clinical assessment and PSG scoring were conducted blindly, with the examiners not knowing who had an OSA partner and who didn't.

The researchers found that, after controlling for age and menopausal status, OSA wives exhibited lower sleep quality and higher distress scores than controls. ¹

Increase in pain threshold (TP count and algometric index) and in FIQ score were also observed, and in their PSG, there was an increase in awaken period and stage 1 amount during sleep, as well as in alpha power during slow wave sleep (where a burst of fast brainwaves disrupts the slow brainwaves of deep sleep). These sleep parameters had substantial correlation with tiredness and poor sleep quality and were moderately correlated to pain assessments and distress scores. ¹

In other words, the women whose partners had OSA showed more signs of Fibromyalgia Syndrome, including disrupted sleep patterns typical of the condition.

The researchers concluded that:

"Thus, independently of age and menopausal status of the group, wives of OSA patients exhibited an increase in pain threshold, distress and impaired sleep in comparison to controls." ¹

References:

1. Smith AK, Togeiro SM, Tufik S, Roizenblatt S. Disturbed sleep and musculoskeletal pain in the bed partner of patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep Med. 2009 Mar 18. [Epub ahead of print]