Abstract
BackgroundRecent studies have shown a significant association between restless legs syndrome (RLS) and primary headache disorders. Nevertheless, information regarding the association between tension-type headache (TTH) and RLS is limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between RLS and TTH in a population-based sample.MethodsWe selected a stratified random population sample of Koreans aged 19–69 years and assessed them using a semi-structured interview designed to identify RLS, headache type, and clinical characteristics of TTH. We determined the prevalence and clinical impact of RLS in participants with TTH.ResultsOf the 2695 participants, 570 (21.2%) and 142 (5.3%) were classified as having TTH and RLS, respectively. Among the 570 individuals with TTH, 113 (19.8%) also met the criteria for probable migraine (PM). The prevalence of RLS was significantly higher among individuals with TTH than among those with non-headache (6.0% vs 3.6%, p = 0.018). The prevalence of RLS was significantly higher in subjects with TTH who fulfilled PM criteria than in those with non-headache participants (8.0% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.018). However, RLS prevalence in individuals with TTH who did not fulfil PM criteria did not differ from that of participants with non-headache (5.5% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.063). TTH participants with RLS had higher visual analogue scale scores for headache intensity (5.1 ± 2.0 vs. 4.3 ± 1.8, p = 0.038), and higher prevalence of anxiety (20.6% vs. 8.8%, p = 0.022) and depression (14.7% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.002) than TTH participants without RLS. Multivariable analyses revealed that headache aggravation by movement (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1–5.2) and depression (OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.1–11.4) were significant indicators of RLS among individuals with TTH.ConclusionsThe prevalence of RLS was higher among individuals with TTH than among those with non-headache. Some clinical presentations varied in accordance with the presence of RLS among participants with TTH.
Highlights
Recent studies have shown a significant association between restless legs syndrome (RLS) and primary headache disorders
We investigated factors contributing to RLS among individuals with tension-type headache (TTH) using univariable and multivariable analyses
The prevalence of TTH was higher in rural areas compared to large cities and small-to-medium cities (Table 1)
Summary
Recent studies have shown a significant association between restless legs syndrome (RLS) and primary headache disorders. TTH has been considered a non-serious disorder compared to migraine. It is a major health problem and leads to a severe socioeconomic burden owing to its high prevalence and comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, temporo-mandibular disorders, fibromyalgia, and obstructive sleep apnoea [2,3,4,5,6]. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sleep-related sensory-motor disorder characterized by unpleasant feelings in the legs, especially during rest or at bedtime. Previous population-based and clinic-based studies have consistently reported a significant association between RLS and migraine [8,9,10,11,12,13,14]
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