title: Epidemiology of restless legs syndrome in Korean adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A large population-based telephone interview method using the Korean version of the Johns Hopkins telephone diagnostic interview for the RLS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A computer aided telephone interview method.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 5,000 subjects (2,470 men and 2,530 women) were interviewed in depth. A representative sample aged 20 to 69 years was constituted according to a stratified, multistage random sampling method.
  
  
  METHODS
  N/A.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the respondents, 373 respondents (7.5%) of the population (pop) met the criteria for the definite or probable RLS groups: 194 (3.9% of pop) respondents fulfilled the criteria for definite RLS and 179 (3.6% of pop) respondents fulfilled the criteria for probable RLS. The prevalence of RLS was generally higher for women than men (4.4% vs. 3.3% for definite, 8.7% vs. 6.2% for definite plus probable). About 90% of RLS individuals were experiencing symptoms at the time of the interview and this was similar for both RLS groups. Seventy-four respondents (1.48%) reported symptoms were moderately or severely distressing and were therefore classified as RLS "sufferers." Of those with a diagnosis of RLS sufferer, 24.3% reported being treated for their symptoms, compared to 12.4% of RLS not designated a "sufferer."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RLS is common and underdiagnosed in Korea with nearly 1% of the population reporting disturbed sleep related to their RLS. These results are comparable to other countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University, Daegu, Korea. neurocho@dsmc.or.kr
authors.forename: Yong Won
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Won Chul
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Chang Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Sung Bong
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Ju Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Earley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires