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Autonomic dysfunction in restless legs syndrome

  • Sleep Breathing Physiology and Disorders • Original Article
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Abstract

Objective

Autonomic dysfunction in patients with RLS has been described in some domains; however, detailed studies on this subject are limited and report conflicting results. In this study, we aimed to evaluate autonomic functions electrophysiologically and clinically in patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Methods

Fifty-two adult patients with RLS and 40 healthy controls were enrolled in this prospective study. Electrophysiological tests of sympathetic skin response (SSR) and RR interval variability (RRIV) analysis were performed, and the SCOPA-AUT questionnaire was applied to evaluate autonomic functions.

Results

There was no significant difference in terms of SSR results between patients and controls (p > 0.05). However, there were significant differences between the patient and control groups in terms of RRIV analyses at rest, deep breathing, and valsalva, and also valsalva ratio (p = 0.037, p = 0.049, p = 0.017, p = 0.020). The mean SCOPA-AUT total score was higher in the RLS group compared with the control group (20.7 ± 10 vs 14.2 ± 8; p = 0.003). Significant differences were found regarding gastrointestinal, urinary, and cardiovascular domains (p = 0.01, p = 0.007, p = 0.049); on the other hand, pupillomotor, thermoregulatory, and sexual function did not significantly differ (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Autonomic functions should be questioned in detail as well as motor and sensory symptoms of RLS, and care should be taken especially on cardiac dysfunction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Kasap İlyas Mah. Org. Abdurrahman Nafiz Gürman Cd. PK: 34098 Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey

    Yuksel Erdal, Ozlem Akdogan, Gokce Kavasoglu & Ufuk Emre

  2. Department of Neurology, Demiroglu Bilim University Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mecbure Nalbantoglu

Authors
  1. Yuksel Erdal
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  2. Ozlem Akdogan
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  3. Mecbure Nalbantoglu
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  4. Gokce Kavasoglu
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  5. Ufuk Emre
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Correspondence to Yuksel Erdal.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Erdal, Y., Akdogan, O., Nalbantoglu, M. et al. Autonomic dysfunction in restless legs syndrome. Sleep Breath 24, 995–999 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-019-01939-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-019-01939-8

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