A case of painful legs and moving toes syndrome treated with gabapentin

Abstract

A 58-year-old woman was evaluated following complaints of pain in both lower extremities and brief involuntary movements in her toes, which had begun 2 years prior. No signs were present beyond a curling, flexion/extension, abduction/adduction movement in the toes of both lower extremities, voluntarily stoppable during neurologic examination. During investigation into etiology, lumbar vertebrae MRI revealed a posterior annular protrusion causing partial compression of the dural sac and neural elements by the L3-4 and L4-5 discs. Semirhythmic repetitious movements were detected on electromyography performed on right extensor digitorum brevis (EDB) muscle with 200 mV and 1 Hz frequency. Patient was put on a gradually increased dose of gabapentin, starting at 1200 mg/day. A brief regression in pain and involuntary movements in feet and toes was observed. GABAergic agents are very effective treatment of painful legs and moving toes syndrome. The present clinically and electrophysiologically diagnosed case was considered worth reporting, as painful legs and moving toes syndrome is a very rare condition.