Source: Haematologica  |  Posted 6 years ago

By Ed Susman

MONTREAL, CANADA -- November 3, 2005 -- Patients who complain about being so sleepy they sometimes miss social engagements or have trouble staying awake while driving should be examined for the possibility of suffering from restless legs syndrome, results from a survey suggest.

"There is a strong association between physical and mental health problems and RLS," said Barbara A. Phillips, MD, president, National Sleep Foundation and professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, United States.

Dr. Phillips and colleagues conducted a telephone survey of 775 women and 731 men regarding the quality of their sleep. She reported the survey results here on October 31[^]st[] at the American College of Chest Physicians Annual Meeting (CHEST).

One question asked if they had unpleasant feelings in the legs for at least a few nights a week and which were worse at night. About 8% of the men and 11% of the women reported having symptoms of restless legs syndrome.

Respondents were more likely to report having symptoms of restless legs if they lived in the southern and western areas of the United States (P < .05). Respondents with symptoms were also more likely to report additional physical and psychiatric conditions, including depression and anxiety, to be overweight, unemployed, daily smokers, and to have issues with poor work attendance and performance.

"It is possible that RLS causes mood disturbance," Dr. Phillips said. "It is also possible the medications used to treat mood disturbance cause restless legs syndrome. In addition, behaviours that are risk factors for restless legs syndrome, such as smoking, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle, are more prevalent in those with psychiatric illnesses."

Adults at risk for restless legs syndrome also appeared to be more at risk for sleep apnea and insomnia and were more likely to report taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, driving while feeling drowsy, and having daytime fatigue. They also appeared more likely to make errors at work, be late for work, and miss work and social events due to sleepiness.

"Restless legs syndrome can interfere with the ability to go to sleep, to stay asleep, to sit quietly in a movie or on an airplane, to undergo dialysis, or any activity that requires immobility," Dr. Phillips said. "Diagnosing and treating restless legs syndrome is important because it improves quality of life."

W. Michael Alberts, MD, president, American College of Chest Physicians, and chief medical officer, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States, commented, "Restless legs syndrome can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life, with the negative effects carrying over into everyday personal and work situations.

"It is important for health-care providers to find the primary cause of RLS in order to proceed with the most effective treatment," Dr. Alberts said.

[Presentation title: The NSF 2005 Sleep in America Poll and Those at Risk for RLS.]