title: Restless legs syndrome is frequently overlooked in patients being evaluated for polyneuropathies.
abstract: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) often presents with paresthesias and dysesthesisas. We have investigated the prevalence and clinical features of RLS in a cohort of patients referred for clinical suspicion of peripheral neuropathy (PN). Sixty-four patients with sensory symptoms, and 101 age-matched controls were prospectively evaluated for RLS, PN and causes of both conditions. In the 64 patients (60 +/- 14 years), none were referred with a suspicion of RLS. Forty-one had a sensori-motor PN of which 22 had a definite RLS (54%). When excluding other causes of RLS, 8 of 41 patients had a RLS associated with a neuropathy (20%). The proportion of RLS in the healthy controls was 10%, lower than in the cohort of patients. In patients without PN, 57% had a RLS, and 55% in the whole cohort, a higher proportion than in the healthy controls (P < 0.0001). Patients with PN and RLS had more sleep disorders (P < 0.04), and legs and calves symptoms (P = 0.09) than patients with PN without RLS. Toes symptoms were more frequently observed in patients with PN but without RLS (P < 0.02). We conclude that RLS frequently presents with symptoms suggestive of peripheral neuropathy, and therefore, is often overlooked.
authors.affiliation: Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Henri Mondor, AP-HP, et Université Paris XII, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nineb
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dumurgier
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nordine
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lefaucheur
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Créange
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000209:etiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires