title: Restless legs syndrome associated with exercise intolerance: Data from a retrospective observational clinical neuromuscular center study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exercise intolerance (EI) is a frequent motive for seeking neuromuscular consultation and may be a sign of metabolic disease or, rarely, muscular dystrophy. The diagnosis is not established in many patients with a typical clinical presentation. Nevertheless, some of them complain of sleep disorders and more especially of restless legs syndrome (RLS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of our study was to estimate the frequency of RLS in patients presenting with EI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our retrospective observational study included all patients seen in the center from 2005 to 2011, who were subsequently investigated for EI in the neuromuscular department of the Caen University hospital. Data were collected on clinical RLS and muscular investigations (creatine kinase [CK], EMG, maximal exercise tests magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and muscle biopsy obtained along with muscle exploration).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 318 patient records analyzed, 84 showed patients accurately complaining of EI. RLS was diagnosed in 25 of these patients (29.7%). This percentage was significantly higher (P<0.001) than found in the general population. Improvement was seen in 91.3% of the patients receiving specific treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RLS can sometimes present with pain, potentially worsening with exercise, inappropriately leading to a hypothesis of EI. Clinicians should thus explore the possible diagnosis of RLS when a muscular disease is not found in patients presenting with such symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine physique et réadaptation, Côte de Nacre, centre de compétences des pathologies neuromusculaires, CHU de Caen, avenue de la Côte-de-Nacre, 14033 Caen cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Debout
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertran
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kerouanton
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schaeffer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chapon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Exercise intolerance; Intolérance à l’effort; Restless legs syndrome; Syndrome des jambes sans repos