A preliminary study on the clinical characteristics of Parkinson's disease patients with restless legs syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To study the clinical characteristics of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS). Methods: Ninety-nine PD patients and eighty-nine control group were included into this study and assessed for RLS by the question 6 of the non-motor symptoms questionnaire (NMSquest). The PD patients were divided into the RLS group and non RLS group, according to their answers to the NMSquest.The severity of motor symptoms, anxiety, depression and quality of life were evaluated according Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Parkinson' s Disease Quality Of Life Questionnaire(PDQ-39), respectively. Results: (1)18.2%(18/81)of the PD patients experienced RLS, the incidence was significantly higher than the general population (P<0.001). (2) The RLS patients were more often women (66.7% vs 33.3%, P=0.033 ). (3) The UPDRS-Ⅱ score(20±7, P=0.008), UPDRS-Ⅲ score(43±14, P=0.015), BDI score(23±13, P=0.002), BAI score(18±8, P=0.012), PDQ-39 score(75±26, P=0.000)in RLS group were significantly higher compared with non RLS group. (4) RLS showed no association with the course of the disease, the age, the PD onset age and levodopa dose equivalents. Conclusions: RLS more likely appears in PD patients, especially in women. The PD patients with RLS commonly suffer from serious motor symptom, low quality of life, anxiety and depression.