Musculoskeletal pain is not associated with obstructive sleep apnoea or daytime sleepiness but is associated with poor sleep quality

Aim: To examine the relationship between pain and objectively-determined
obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in a general population sample.
Methods: Shoulder, back, hip, knee, hand, and foot pain were assessed by
Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview were determined in a random
sample (n = 368) of men aged 40+ years from the Men Androgen Inflam-
mation Lifestyle Environment and Stress (MAILES) Study. OSA was deter-
mined with full in-home unattended polysomnography (Embletta X100)
scored by 2007 American Academy of Sleep Medicine (alternative) criteria.
Daytime sleepiness and sleep quality were assessed by the Epworth Sleepi-
ness Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively.
Results: Presence of any joint pain was not associated with OSA
(p = 0.223).There was also no association between pain in any specific joint
(shoulder, back, hip, knee, hand or foot) with OSA; nor was the number of
joints in pain associated with OSA. There was similarly no association
between pain variables and daytime sleepiness, except for hand pain
(adjusted odds ratio 2.88, 95% CI 1.49–5.55). However, musculoskeletal
pain was associated with poor sleep quality: any joint pain (1.91, 95% CI
1.06–3.45), shoulder pain (2.26, 95% CI 1.27–4.02), back pain (1.93–
1.18–3.16), foot pain (2.39, 95% CI 1.33–4.28). The number of joints in
pain was also associated with poor sleep quality (5–6 joints vs. no joints
9.66, 95% CI 2.66–35.05).
Conclusions: Consistent with previous reports, musculoskeletal pain was
associated with poor sleep quality in this general population sample.
However, there was no association between pain and OSA or between pain
and daytime sleepiness.