The bidirectional association between chronic musculoskeletal pain and sleep-related problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizes the evidence on prospective bidirectional associations between sleep-related problems (SRP) and chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP). Methods A literature search for cohort studies available in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library databases as of 19 July 2022 was performed. Pooled odds ratios and effect sizes were calculated through random effects meta-analysis. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed to explore differences by follow-up time, proportion of each sex and mean age. The Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines were strictly followed. Results Twenty studies with a total of 208 190 adults (aged 34.4-71.7 years) were included, with 17 of them being used in the meta-analysis. Individuals with SRP at baseline had a 1.79-fold higher incidence (odds ratio [OR] = 1.79; 95% CI: 1.55, 2.08; I-2 = 84.7%; P < 0.001) and a 2.04-fold higher persistence (OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.42, 2.94; I-2 = 88.5%; P < 0.005) of CMP than those without SRP. In the subgroup analysis of the association between SRP and CMP, the longer the follow-up time of the studies, the higher the heterogeneity between them. In the corresponding meta-regression, no significant effect was observed for follow-up time, sex proportion or age. Individuals with CMP at baseline had a 2.02-fold higher incidence of SRP (OR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.62, 2.53; I-2 = 90.0%; P < 0.001) than those without CMP. Conclusion This study provides robust evidence concerning the longitudinal association between SRP and incidence-persistence of CMP in adults. In addition, the available prospective studies support the existence of a bidirectional relationship between CMP and SRP. PROSPERO registration number CRD42020212360