title: Ropinirole is effective in the long-term management of restless legs syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the long-term efficacy of ropinirole in patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and to assess the potential for relapse after the discontinuation of active treatment. Patients with primary RLS (n = 202) received single-blind ropinirole for 24 weeks. Patients meeting treatment continuation criteria were randomized to double-blind treatment with ropinirole or placebo for a further 12 weeks. The primary efficacy variable was the proportion of patients relapsing during double-blind treatment. Additional efficacy measures included time to relapse, withdrawals due to lack of efficacy, improvement on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale, change in International Restless Legs Scale (IRLS) score during double-blind treatment, and changes in sleep and quality of life (QoL) parameters. Significantly fewer patients relapsed on ropinirole than on placebo (32.6% vs. 57.8%; P = 0.0156). Time to relapse was longer with ropinirole and more patients withdrew due to lack of efficacy with placebo. Patients showed improvements in IRLS and CGI-I scores, sleep and QoL parameters with single-blind ropinirole, which were better maintained when ropinirole was continued during the double-blind phase, but reduced with placebo. Ropinirole was well tolerated; adverse events were typical for dopamine agonists. Ropinirole was highly effective and well tolerated in the long-term management of RLS, with pharmacological effect over 36 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Sleep Disorders Clinic, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada. j-montplaisir@crhsc.umontreal.ca
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montplaisir
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karrasch
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haan
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Volc
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D007211:Indoles; C046649:ropinirole