[Prevalence of restless legs syndrome at the office in primary health care].
BACKGROUND
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a usual neurologic disorder, often undiagnosed and treatable, usually associated with sleep disturbance. Our goal was to study prevalence of RLS in our practice.


METHODS
Descriptive, cross-sectional study, in a Primary care center. 283 patients 50 years old or older, which come to the office for any reason, were evaluated with a questionnaire about the four essential criteria stated by the international RLS study group in 1995.


RESULTS
Prevalence of RLS was 11.6% (95% CI: 7.9-15.3%). 73.5% were women and 26.5% men (ratio 3:1). Only 15% reported major repercussion in their quality of life, them we estimated that RLS clinically significant is present in 1.9% of our patients. By means of logistic regression only high number of consults at the office, daily sleepiness and use of hypnotics were associated to RLS.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence of RLS in more than 50 years old patients is high: 11.6% but 1.9% of medically significant RLS. Must be suspected specially in women, frequent consultants or with sleep disorders in treatment with hypnotics.
Pérez-Romero
T
T
Centro de Salud de Otero, Oviedo, Asturias, España.
Comas-Fuentes
A
A
Debán-Fernández
M
M
González-Nuevo Quiñones
J P
JP
Maujo-Fernández
J
J
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives