Hatice Kumru1, Joan Vidal2, Jesus Benito2, Manuela Barrio2, Enric Portell2, Margarita Valles2, Cecilia Flores2, Joan Santamaria3. 1. Fundación Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Badalona, Barcelona, 08916, Spain; Univ Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193, Spain; Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: hkumru@guttmann.com. 2. Fundación Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Badalona, Barcelona, 08916, Spain; Univ Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193, Spain; Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain. 3. Servei de Neurologia, Hspital Clinic de Barcelona, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica August Pi I Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The presence of restless leg syndrome (RLS) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) is not well established. We studied the frequency and severity of RLS in a population of patients with SCI and the effect of treatment with dopaminergic drugs when clinically indicated. METHODS: Consecutive patients with SCI admitted to an out-patient clinic of a neurorehabilitation hospital (n:195) were evaluated for the presence of RLS between February 2013 and May 2014. A diagnosis of RLS was made according to the criteria of the International RLS Study Group, and severity was assessed by the RLS rating scale. Information on gender, age, time since SCI, level and severity of SCI, was obtained. RESULT: The mean age was 54.7 ± 15.6 years (range: 22-81 year); with time since SCI: 16.9 ± 11.4 years (range: 1-50 years). Thirty-five of 195 patients (17.9%) presented RLS. Twenty-two out of 154 (14.3%) patients with cervicothoracic SCI and 13 out of 41 (31.7%) patients with lumbosacral SCI presented RLS. Restless leg symptoms were mild in 2 patients, moderate in 10 patients, severe in 12 patients and very severe in 11. Ten patients received dopaminergic agonist treatment with a significant reduction in RLS severity scale from 29.1 ± 5.9 to 10.2 ± 7.9. DISCUSSION: RLS occurs frequently in SCI patients and responds to dopaminergic treatment. Physicians have to be aware of this diagnosis to avoid unnecessary suffering in this patient population.
BACKGROUND: The presence of restless leg syndrome (RLS) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) is not well established. We studied the frequency and severity of RLS in a population of patients with SCI and the effect of treatment with dopaminergic drugs when clinically indicated. METHODS: Consecutive patients with SCI admitted to an out-patient clinic of a neurorehabilitation hospital (n:195) were evaluated for the presence of RLS between February 2013 and May 2014. A diagnosis of RLS was made according to the criteria of the International RLS Study Group, and severity was assessed by the RLS rating scale. Information on gender, age, time since SCI, level and severity of SCI, was obtained. RESULT: The mean age was 54.7 ± 15.6 years (range: 22-81 year); with time since SCI: 16.9 ± 11.4 years (range: 1-50 years). Thirty-five of 195 patients (17.9%) presented RLS. Twenty-two out of 154 (14.3%) patients with cervicothoracic SCI and 13 out of 41 (31.7%) patients with lumbosacral SCI presented RLS. Restless leg symptoms were mild in 2 patients, moderate in 10 patients, severe in 12 patients and very severe in 11. Ten patients received dopaminergic agonist treatment with a significant reduction in RLS severity scale from 29.1 ± 5.9 to 10.2 ± 7.9. DISCUSSION: RLS occurs frequently in SCI patients and responds to dopaminergic treatment. Physicians have to be aware of this diagnosis to avoid unnecessary suffering in this patient population.
Authors: Malik Hamdaoui; Elisabeth Ruppert; Henri Comtet; Ulker Kilic-Huck; Valérie Wolff; Marc Bataillard; Patrice Bourgin Journal: J Spinal Cord Med Date: 2017-09-12 Impact factor: 1.985
Authors: Shangru Lyu; Hong Xing; Mark P DeAndrade; Yuning Liu; Pablo D Perez; Fumiaki Yokoi; Marcelo Febo; Arthur S Walters; Yuqing Li Journal: eNeuro Date: 2019-10-10
Authors: Aaro V Salminen; Stefan Clemens; Diego García-Borreguero; Imad Ghorayeb; Yuqing Li; Mauro Manconi; William Ondo; David Rye; Jerome M Siegel; Alessandro Silvani; John W Winkelman; Richard P Allen; Sergi Ferré Journal: Dis Model Mech Date: 2022-08-10 Impact factor: 5.732