title: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) in anemic patients with congestive heart failure and chronic renal failure: lack of effect of anemia treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) in anemic patients with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) and to evaluate the effect of anemia treatment on RLS.
  
  
  METHODS
  38 anemic CHF-CRF patients were treated with subcutaneous Erythropoietin (EPO) and intravenous (IV) iron over 1 year. They were questioned initially and at 3 months post treatment about symptoms of RLS according to standard criteria. They were also contacted by telephone about RLS symptoms 12 months after onset of anemia treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RLS was found in 15 (39.5%) of the 38 patients. In 10 (66.7%) patients it was present at least 6 days a week. The prevalence of the RLS initially was not related to Hb, to serum iron or % Transferrin Saturation. Diabetes and lower serum ferritin were more common in the RLS group (p<0.05). After 3 months of treatment, Hb increased from 10.4+/-0.8 to 12.3+/-1.2 g/dl, but RLS symptoms did not change. By 12 months the prevalence and frequency of RLS complaints was similar to what it had been initially.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RLS is common and often undiagnosed and untreated in anemic CHF-CRF patients. Unfortunately, successful treatment of anemia with EPO and IV iron did not improve this condition.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zilberman
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Silverberg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oksenberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D004921:Erythropoietin; D007501:Iron