Leg cramps in the elderly: prevalence, drug and disease associations.
To determine the prevalence of leg cramps in elderly outpatients and their association any underlying diseases and concomitant drug intake, we conducted a cross-sectional study using an in-depth questionnaire. A total of 365 patients aged 65 years and over (mean 78.5 years) attending our outpatient clinic participated in the study. The prevalence of leg cramps was 50%. Cramps were commoner in females (56%) than in males (40%). Although reported to occur anytime throughout the 24 hours, cramps were most prevalent at night (62%). In many patients, leg cramps were a long-standing complaint: 20% had been suffering with them for more than 10 years, whereas only 9% of patients reported them first starting within the last six months. Only 73 (40%) sufferers had informed their practitioner; of these, 39 (53%) received treatment, of whom 26 gained benefit. Leg cramps were strongly associated with peripheral vascular disease (odds ratio 2.9, 95% CI 1.89-4.55, p < 0.00001), arthritis (odds ratio 2.26, 95% CI 1.48-3.45, p = 0.0001) and female gender (odds ratio 1.96, 95% CI 1.28-3.03, p = 0.002). Heart failure, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and stroke were not significantly associated. Except for a causal association with analgesic use, no positive association could be shown with any other class of drugs, including diuretics.
Abdulla
A J
AJ
Department of Geriatrics, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter, UK.
Jones
P W
PW
Pearce
V R
VR
D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D009120:Muscle Cramp / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors
D000700:Analgesics