title: [Restless legs syndrome].
abstract: About 7% of the population are affected by the restless legs syndrome (RLS). The most invalidating subjective complaints are dysesthesia / pain / an urge to move the legs (46%), an alteration of sleep (38%), and difficulties in performing activities of daily life (7%). The onset of the disease is variable, ranging from childhood (often unrecognised) to old age. The clinical course is generally chronic with phases of spontaneous remission. The cause of RLS is probably mainly genetic with a dysfunction of iron and dopamine metabolism accentuated by peripheral factors (neuropathy, radiculopathy, and temperature). There are secondary forms of RLS, such as iron deficiency (under debate), side effects of drugs (that can be stopped), renal insufficiency, radiculopathy, and neuropathy. RLS can come up during pregnancy, in particular in the last trimenon. Treatment of aggravating factors and sleep hygiene are general measures. Drug treatment of the RLS comprises levodopa, dopaminergic drugs, opioids, and antiepileptic drugs; however, drug treatment is only necessary in about a third of the affected.
authors.affiliation: Service de Neurologie, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, 4, rue Barblé, L-1210 Luxembourg droste.dirk@chl.lu
authors.forename: Dirk W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Droste
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Diederich
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008189:Luxembourg / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics