OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME IN DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF CHRONIC PAIN
1Adana Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Hastalıkları, Adana, Türkiye2Adana Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Ortopedi Kliniği, Adana, Türkiye
3Adana Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Göğüs Hastalıkları Kliniği, Adana, Türkiye Objective: A possible relationship may be between fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), due to the common presenting symptoms. In our study, in patients with severe OSAS diagnosed as a result of the polysomnography, also with muscle diseases presenting with chronic pain such as fibromyalgia and / or myofascial pain syndrome, we aimed to investigate whether OSAS treatment is effective on this chronic pain.
Material Method: This study is a prospective study performed on 46 severe OSAS patients also with fibromyalgia and / or myofascial pain syndrome. Fifteen patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia, 31 patients were diagnosed with myofascial pain syndrome. All patients were underwent to a treatment with Continious Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), and before the treatment and 6 months after treatment, the patients were evaluated with Epworth sleepiness scale(EUS) and a Visual Analog Scale for pain.
Results: 10 of the 46 patients included in the study were female (21.7%) and 36 were men (78.3%). The mean age of the patients was 50.10 ± 19.4. The mean Apnea-Hypopnea index was 58,23 ± 5,85 as a result of polysomnography for patients with severe OSAS. The reduction of EUS scores and Visual analog scale scores for pain were statistically significant when compared the pre-CPAP with 6th month of the treatment.
Conclusion: For patients with fibromyalgia or myofascial pain syndrome, the questioning for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome should be done and polysomnography must be applied if necessary.
Keywords : Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, Continious Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)