Restless legs syndrome in patients on hemodialysis: symptom severity and risk factors.
OBJECTIVE
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder that frequently occurs in dialysis patients, which disturbs the sleep and reduces the quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for RLS in dialysis patients.


METHODS
Patients who visited any of four outpatient dialysis clinics between September 2005 and May 2006 were included in this study. The diagnosis of RLS and the severity assessment were made using the criteria described by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. We collected basic demographic data, clinical information, and laboratory findings, and then analyzed their association with various aspects of RLS using univariate and multivariate analyses.


RESULTS
RLS was present in 46 (28.0%) of 164 dialysis patients. We found no significant risk factor for inducing RLS. The predialysis serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level in the dialysis patients with RLS was significantly correlated with RLS symptom severity.


CONCLUSIONS
Predialysis BUN is related to RLS symptom severity. Further studies on the underlying mechanism are needed.
Kim
Jeong-Min
JM
Department of Neurology, Seoul Metropolitan Boramae Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Kwon
Hyung-Min
HM
Lim
Chun Soo
CS
Kim
Yon Su
YS
Lee
Seo-Jin
SJ
Nam
Hyunwoo
H