Improvement of periodic limb movements following kidney transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
Periodic limb movements are common in patients with end-stage renal disease. Kidney transplantation significantly improves renal function and may therefore reduce periodic limb movements. We evaluated the effect of kidney transplantation on periodic limb movements in a group of patients with end-stage renal disease.


METHODS
Eighteen patients (aged 27-65) who were receiving dialysis and were candidates for living donor or deceased donor kidney transplantation (n = 12) or were predialysis with a suitable living donor arranged (n = 6) were recruited from the transplant clinic. Attended overnight polysomnography was performed before and after kidney transplantation. Patients were divided based on a periodic limb movement index >15 events/h during sleep.


RESULTS
Kidney transplantation was associated with a significant reduction in periodic limb movement index in all patients (8 (0-110) events/h vs. 2 (0-80) events/h) and this reduction was greatest in 7 patients with a periodic limb movement index >15 events/h (40 (24-110) events/h to 14 (1-80) events/h, p < 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Successful kidney transplantation improves periodic limb movements in patients with end-stage renal disease. This may improve sleep quality and sleep-related quality of life in kidney transplant recipients, which should have a beneficial impact on clinical outcomes.
Beecroft
Jaime M
JM
Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta., Canada.
Zaltzman
Jeffery
J
Prasad
G V Ramesh
GV
Meliton
Galo
G
Hanly
Patrick J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020189:Nocturnal Myoclonus Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods