Refractory Restless Legs Syndrome Likely Caused by Olanzapine

Abstract

We report a case of severe restless legs syndrome (RLS) that occurred as a side effect of olanzapine therapy. It was refractory to treatment with 2 mg of clonazepam and 3 mg ropinirole. There was partial relief with propoxyphene, however, it was stopped because of side effects. The symptoms disappeared once olanzapine was switched to another antipsychotic medication. Only two prior published reports associate olanzapine usage with development of RLS. In one report, low-dose benzodiazepines and ropinirole were associated with resolution of RLS symptoms stating dopamine depletion as the likely etiology. In our patient, however, RLS due to olanzapine was refractory to the trial of both high-dose benzodiazepine and ropinirole. This suggests that RLS occurring as a side effect of olanzapine therapy may have additional causative mechanisms beyond simple dopamine depletion as postulated before. High-dose narcotics, if tolerated, may be an alternative in such refractory cases.