title: Augmentation in restless legs syndrome is associated with low ferritin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Augmentation is a major problem with dopaminergic therapy for restless legs syndrome (RLS), and predictors of augmentation have not yet been identified. We aimed to analyze the relationship between baseline ferritin level and occurrence of augmentation in a retrospective analysis of a prospective double-blind trial of cabergoline versus levodopa on augmentation in RLS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who experienced augmentation were compared to patients who did not experience augmentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Augmentation symptoms causing premature discontinuation from the study or which were tolerated (n=36, ferritin: 85+59 ng/ml) were associated with lower levels of serum ferritin compared to patients without augmentation (n=302, ferritin: 118+108 ng/ml, p=0.0062).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ferritin as a marker of iron storage may play an important role in the pathophysiology of RLS and may prove to be a biomarker for the development of augmentation under dopaminergic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Paracelsus-Elena Hospital, Kassel, Germany. ctrenkwalder@gmx.de
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trenkwalder
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Högl
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Benes
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kohnen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000077465:Cabergoline; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004873:Ergolines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004873:Ergolines; D007980:Levodopa; D005293:Ferritins; D000077465:Cabergoline