Abstract
Study ObjectiveTo explore the profile of patients who visit a sleep center with symptoms that fulfill the four essential criteria for restless legs syndrome (RLS).DesignA prospective study.SettingOutpatients from one sleep disorders clinic in Taiwan.Participants1,200 consecutive patients visit sleep disorders clinic with any sleep complaints.InterventionsAfter completing a history and physical examination, all participants answered the RLS questionnaire. Subjects who fulfilled the four essential criteria for RLS were referred to a special clinic. A work-up including blood tests, polysomnography, and specialized neurological tests etc. was performed to make the final diagnosis.Measurements and ResultsA total of 1,185 participants were enrolled, and, of these, 131(11.1%) fulfilled the four essential criteria for RLS, and 121 completed the supplemental work-up. Their mean age was 47.6±13.3 and 52.9% were male. Insomnia and snoring were the most common chief complaints. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and other diseases were found in 103 patients. Only 18 (14.9%) patients had no comorbid condition and were diagnosed with primary RLS.ConclusionsSymptoms of RLS are common in patients with sleep complaints. Even in a sleep clinic, using a questionnaire approach for identification of RLS has a low positive predictive value. Clinicians should pay attention to the limitations of the 4-item questionnaire in diagnosis of RLS and also the importance of a careful differential diagnosis to identify possible secondary causes of RLS.
Highlights
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sensorimotor disorder and is characterized by an urge to move associated with dysesthesia in the legs, worse during periods of rest or inactivity, partially or totally relieved by movement, and worse near evening or at night [1]
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and other diseases were found in 103 patients
Symptoms of RLS are common in patients with sleep complaints
Summary
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sensorimotor disorder and is characterized by an urge to move associated with dysesthesia in the legs, worse during periods of rest or inactivity, partially or totally relieved by movement, and worse near evening or at night [1]. RLS is an important sleep disorder with a reported prevalence around 4% to 29% [2]. The prevalence was 1.57% in Taiwan [3]. This was much lower than that reported in other countries. The prevalence in other Asian countries was low, from 0.9% to 3.9% [4,5,6,7]. The reason for the lower prevalence of RLS in Asian countries is not clear
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