Augmentation in restless legs syndrome is associated with low ferritin.
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.
Trenkwalder
Claudia
C
Paracelsus-Elena Hospital, Kassel, Germany. ctrenkwalder@gmx.de
Högl
Birgit
B
Benes
Heike
H
Kohnen
Ralf
R
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
D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004873:Ergolines; D007980:Levodopa; D005293:Ferritins; D000077465:Cabergoline