A double-blind randomized crossover trial of bromocriptine and placebo in restless legs syndrome.
A double-blind randomized crossover study of 7.5 mg bromocriptine at bedtime versus placebo was conducted in 30-day phases (with a 2-week washout period between phases) in 6 patients with idiopathic restless legs syndrome. Five patients experienced partial subjective improvement in restlessness and paresthesias on bromocriptine as opposed to placebo and expressed a desire to continue on the medication. On bromocriptine, the patients showed polysomnographically a mean decrease of 43% from control and a mean decrease of 57% from placebo in the number of periodic movements of sleep per hour of sleep (p less than 0.025). Two of 3 patients with abnormally decreased total sleep time and sleep efficiency showed an improvement in these measures on therapy. The dopamine agonist bromocriptine may be a useful therapy in some patients with restless legs syndrome.
Walters
A S
AS
Department of Neurology, UMDNJ--Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick 08903-0019.
Hening
W A
WA
Kavey
N
N
Chokroverty
S
S
Gidro-Frank
S
S
D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011897:Random Allocation; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D010919:Placebos; D001971:Bromocriptine