Opioid treatment of periodic movements in sleep in patients without restless legs.
Opioids may be a useful treatment for some patients with Periodic Movements of Sleep (PMS) and sleep disturbances. Four patients who had only idiopathic PMS and sleep disturbances but not Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) were treated with various opioids. Two of the patients responded with a more than 98% decrease in the number of PMS per night of sleep and a doubling of the percentage of sleep period time spent in deep (Stages 3 and 4) sleep.
Kavey
N
N
Sleep Disorders Center of Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, NYC Movement Disorder Group.
Walters
A S
AS
Hening
W
W
Gidro-Frank
S
S
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
D009294:Narcotics