Heidi Haueisen Sander1, Alan Luiz Eckeli2, Afonso Diniz Costa Passos3, Leila Azevedo1, Lucila Bizari Fernandes do Prado4, Regina Maria França Fernandes1. 1. Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. 2. Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: eckeli_alan@yahoo.com.br. 3. Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. 4. Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease (RLS/WED) and its impact on sleep and quality of life in children and adolescents. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Municipality of Cássia dos Coqueiros, Brazil. Participants included 383 children and adolescents 5-17 years of age. A comparison group was randomly matched by gender and age with the RLS/WED-affected individuals, pairing one by one. RESULTS: Interviews were conducted for 383 individuals by a neurologist experienced in sleep medicine. RLS/WED was diagnosed using the essential clinical criteria for definitive RLS/WED in children recommended by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. Sleep and quality of life were evaluated using the Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ) and the Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire─Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Comparisons were established with a group of randomly selected individuals without RLS/WED, matched by age and gender (control group). The prevalence of RLS/WED symptoms that manifested at least twice a week was 1.9%. The average age of children with RLS/WED was higher compared to the general population (11.5 ± 2.3 vs 9.9 ± 2.5, p < 0.005). A family history of RLS/WED was detected in 90.9% of the patients. The scores obtained by SBQ were higher (53.9 ± 9.4 vs 47.6 ± 10.9, p < 0.047), whereas the scores achieved by PedsQL were lower (69.8 ± 14.8 vs 81.9 ± 10.4, p < 0.003) in children with RLS/WED compared to controls. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of RLS/WED symptoms manifested at least twice in the preceding week was 1.9% in children and adolescents. Worsened sleep and quality of life were observed in the study.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease (RLS/WED) and its impact on sleep and quality of life in children and adolescents. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Municipality of Cássia dos Coqueiros, Brazil. Participants included 383 children and adolescents 5-17 years of age. A comparison group was randomly matched by gender and age with the RLS/WED-affected individuals, pairing one by one. RESULTS: Interviews were conducted for 383 individuals by a neurologist experienced in sleep medicine. RLS/WED was diagnosed using the essential clinical criteria for definitive RLS/WED in children recommended by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. Sleep and quality of life were evaluated using the Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ) and the Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire─Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Comparisons were established with a group of randomly selected individuals without RLS/WED, matched by age and gender (control group). The prevalence of RLS/WED symptoms that manifested at least twice a week was 1.9%. The average age of children with RLS/WED was higher compared to the general population (11.5 ± 2.3 vs 9.9 ± 2.5, p < 0.005). A family history of RLS/WED was detected in 90.9% of the patients. The scores obtained by SBQ were higher (53.9 ± 9.4 vs 47.6 ± 10.9, p < 0.047), whereas the scores achieved by PedsQL were lower (69.8 ± 14.8 vs 81.9 ± 10.4, p < 0.003) in children with RLS/WED compared to controls. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of RLS/WED symptoms manifested at least twice in the preceding week was 1.9% in children and adolescents. Worsened sleep and quality of life were observed in the study.
Authors: Jie Xiang; Honglian Li; Jun Xiong; Fanghui Hua; Shouqiang Huang; Yunfeng Jiang; Hailiang Qiang; Fan Xie; Min Wang Journal: Medicine (Baltimore) Date: 2020-09-25 Impact factor: 1.817