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The following is a summary of “Identifying comorbid obstructive sleep apnea in chronic musculoskeletal pain: A systematic review,” published in the February 2025 issue of Journal of Pain by Perea et al. 

The frequent overlap of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) highlights the importance of characterizing this dual-diagnosis population for optimal screening and care.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to compile evidence on methods used to identify OSA in individuals with CMP and to examine the characteristic features.  

They searched Medline (PubMed), Embase, and Web of Science using broad terms related to sleep apnea and CMP. Studies were included if they involved individuals with CMP diagnosed with OSA or those in whom OSA symptoms were assessed as outcomes. The protocol was pre-registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024516140).  

The results showed 3,832 records were identified, with 30 studies (total n=7085 participants) included. Laboratory sleep polysomnography was the most used objective assessment, while the Berlin and STOP-BANG questionnaires were the most used self-report tools, though they showed poor agreement with polysomnography. Fatigue and pain distribution were similar in individuals with CMP with and without OSA. Findings on higher age, elevated body mass index, psychological factors, reduced sleep quality, increased sleepiness, and pain intensity were inconsistent when comparing CMP with and without OSA. No factors consistently distinguished CMP with OSA from CMP without OSA.  

Investigators concluded that further research was needed to identify consistent characteristics of patients with CMP and with OSA to enhance the effectiveness of OSA screening in routine clinical practice. 

Source: jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(25)00578-4/abstract