Association between restless legs syndrome and migraine: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
A higher prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in migraineurs has been reported in clinical samples and in two large-scale clinical trials performed on healthcare workers but general population-based studies on this topic are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the association between migraine and RLS in an Italian rural adult population-based setting.


METHODS
The presence of migraine and RLS was assessed via a computer-assisted personal interview and self-administered questionnaires according to current diagnostic criteria in 1567 participants of a preliminary phase of an adult population-based study performed in South Tyrol, Italy.


RESULTS
Migraineurs had an increased risk of having RLS also after adjustment for confounding factors such as age, sex, major depression, anxiety and sleep quality (odds ratio 1.79; confidence interval 1.00-3.19; P = 0.049). This association was not modified by aura status and possible causes of secondary RLS. RLS was not significantly associated with tension-type headache.


CONCLUSIONS
Restless legs syndrome and migraine were associated in our rural adult population. This association could be explained by a possible shared pathogenic pathway which would implicate new management strategies of these two disorders.
Center for Biomedicine, European Academy Bozen/Bolzano (EURAC) (Affiliated Institute of the University of Lübeck), Bozen/Bolzano, Italy.
Stefano
S
Zanigni
Giulia
G
Giannini
Roberto
R
Melotti
Cristian
C
Pattaro
Federica
F
Provini
Sabina
S
Cevoli
Maurizio F
MF
Facheris
Pietro
P
Cortelli
Peter P
PP
Pramstaller
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018672:Community Health Planning; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
comorbidity; headache; migraine; restless legs syndrome; sleep disorders