title: Restless legs syndrome in multiple myeloma patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common neurological condition characterized by uncomfortable and unpleasant sensations in the legs that are relieved by movement. It is frequently idiopathic, sometimes associated with specific disorders such as malignancies. Because there is no study relevant to RLS in Multiple Myeloma (MM), we aimed to evaluate the frequency of RLS in MM patients during chemotherapy and examined the relationship between presence of RLS and depression and anxiety in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled a population of 62 adult MM patients for RLS features. RLS was ascertained in MM patients by both the presence of the four essential International RLS Study Group diagnostic criteria and neurological examination. The International RLS Study Group rating scale was used to measure RLS severity. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to evaluate the levels of depression and anxiety and Short Form-36 (SF-36) to evaluate health related quality of life (HRQOL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 62 MM patients were evaluated. Among them 11 were identified by the screening questionnaire to meet the criteria for RLS (17.74%). MM patients with RLS had higher levels of depression (P < 0.01) and anxiety (P < 0.01) and poorer HRQOL compared with those without RLS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of RLS in MM patients is higher than that of expected in the general population. MM patients afflicted by RLS have significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety and poorer HRQOL. Recognition and treatment of RLS in MM patients may be an important target in clinical management and may improve overall health outcomes in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Yuzuncu Yil University Medical Faculty, Internal Medicine, Hematology Department, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esen
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ediz
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gulcu
authors.forename: Fahrettin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demirdag
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Turktas
authors.forename: Savas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guner
authors.forename: Senar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ebinc
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cifci
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demir