title: Restless legs syndrome and multiple sclerosis: a Brazilian multicenter study and meta-analysis of the literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The increased prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in multiple sclerosis (MS) has recently been the subject of a few papers. The present study investigated the prevalence of RLS symptoms in MS patients and in controls in four Brazilian cities. Additionally, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was carried out on the subject of RLS-MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  MS patients and controls were investigated regarding the presence of the four typical symptoms of RLS. A questionnaire assessing RLS severity was also used for patients and controls presenting the four RLS symptoms criteria. The systematic review and meta-analysis on the subject were carried out according to the strict international criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present report, the RLS-MS association was confirmed as being more than fortuitous in Brazilian MS patients, in a multicenter case-control study. MS patients also presented RLS symptoms of greater severity than did the control population. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature showed that MS patients had a fourfold higher chance of presenting RLS than did the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although underlying mechanisms to explain the association RLS-MS are still a matter of discussion, there is a clear association of these two neurological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical School, UNIMES and MS Reference Center DRS-IV, Santos SP, Brazil. yara@bsnet.com.br
authors.forename: Yára Dadalti
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Fragoso
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finkelsztejn
authors.forename: Sidney
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Damacio Ramon
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kaimen-Maciel
authors.forename: Celso Luis S
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Josiane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Rafael A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cristovam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult