Age and gender effects on heart rate activation associated with periodic leg movements in patients with restless legs syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
Periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS) are often associated with electroencephalographic (EEG) changes, such as microarousals (MA), and with heart rate (HR) variations. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of age and gender on HR changes associated with PLMS in restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients.


METHODS
Forty-two RLS patients underwent one night of polysomnographic recordings. They were divided into 3 groups of 14 subjects (7 women and 7 men) according to age, i.e. young (25-40 years), middle-aged (41-55 years) and elderly (56-71 years) patients. The RR interval was calculated for 5 intervals before and 15 intervals after the onset of 50 PLMS in each patient.


RESULTS
PLMS were associated with HR changes characterized by a tachycardia followed by a bradycardia. However, a reduction in the tachycardia and the bradycardia was observed with age. Moreover, women showed a higher amplitude in the bradycardia than men. No age or gender difference was found for MA index and duration.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed age and gender differences in the magnitude of the HR changes associated with PLMS. The knowledge of HR variations during sleep, including rapid HR changes associated with sleep events such as PLMS or MA, may be helpful in understanding the potential mechanisms involved in the increased cardiac risk observed in elderly.
Gosselin
N
N
Centre d'Etude du Sommeil et des Rythmes Biologiques, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, 5400 boulevard Gouin Ouest, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4J 1C5.
Lanfranchi
Paola
P
Michaud
M
M
Fantini
L
L
Carrier
J
J
Lavigne
G
G
Montplaisir
J
J
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017286:Polysomnography; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution