PLMS and PLMW in healthy subjects as a function of age: prevalence and interval distribution.
OBJECTIVE
Several studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS) and age in healthy subjects. However, little is known about periodic leg movements during wakefulness (PLMW) in this population. Although the definitions of PLMS and PLMW specify a typical intermovement interval of 20 to 40 seconds, scoring criteria allow an intermovement interval of 4 to 90 seconds. The aim of the present study was to look at the prevalence and interval distribution of PLMS and PLMW in relationship with age in a population of healthy subjects.


METHODS
Periodic leg movements were recorded during 1 night.


METHODS
Sleep laboratory, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal.


METHODS
Sixty-seven healthy subjects aged between 5 and 76 years (32 F, 35 M).


METHODS
N/A.


RESULTS
The presence of PLMS was rare before the age of 40, but then the index increased dramatically. PLMW index was higher in younger subjects compared with middle-aged subjects. Interval histograms of PLMS did not revealed a clear peak in younger subjects. With advancing age, PLMS interval histograms show a peak around 15 to 35 seconds, which is not observed in younger subjects. On the other hand, despite high indexes, PLMW interval histograms do not show a clear peak for any age group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results illustrate that interval evaluation is an important feature of the calculation of periodic movements to discriminate spontaneous motor activity from PLMS or PLMW.
Pennestri
Marie-Hélène
MH
Sleep Disorders Center, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Whittom
Shirley
S
Adam
Benoît
B
Petit
Dominique
D
Carrier
Julie
J
Montplaisir
Jacques
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020189:Nocturnal Myoclonus Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010507:Periodicity; D015995:Prevalence; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology*