title: Small fiber function in drug naïve patients with idiopathic restless legs syndrome.
abstract: To assess whether idiopathic restless legs syndrome (RLS) is associated with small fiber abnormalities, we evaluated somatic and autonomic small fiber function in 56 patients with idiopathic RLS and 36 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls using quantitative sensory testing and quantitative sudomotor axon reflex tests. The warm detection thresholds (WDT) of the hands (p=0.017) and feet (p=0.008) were higher in patients with RLS than in controls. Cooling detection thresholds (CDT) were higher in the feet of patients with RLS than controls (p<0.001), but CDT in the hands did not differ between groups (p=0.161). There were no significant between-group differences in total sweat volume and sweat production in the forearms, proximal legs, distal legs, and feet (p>0.1 each). These findings suggest that abnormal sensory perception in patients with idiopathic RLS may result from impairment of central somatosensory processing rather than small fiber neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 388-1 Pungnap-2-Dong, Songpa-Gu, Seoul 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Sung-Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Seockhoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Bong-Hui
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Kwang-Kuk
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*