title: Efficacy of the low-dose Saccharum iron treatment of idiopathic restless legs syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of low-dose and high-dose Saccharum iron injected intravenously in patients with idiopathic restless legs syndrome (RLS) by detecting levels of serum ferritin (SF) and international RLS Severity Scale.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this purpose, 38 patients with idiopathic RLS were randomly divided into the following two groups: low-dose group (18 cases) and high-dose group (20 cases). Low-dose group received Saccharum iron intravenously (200 mg/dose); once a week for 5 weeks with a total dose of 1000 mg. High-dose group received Saccharum iron intravenously (500 mg/dose); once every two weeks for 4 weeks with a total dose of 1000 mg. The pre- and post-treatment (at 2, 4, and 6 weeks) level of SF and RLS scores were determined and the differences were compared between two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post-therapeutic SF levels increased significantly in both groups as compared with before treatment (P<0.05). At 6-week post-therapy, SF levels in low-dose group were significantly higher than those in high-dose group (P<0.05). The clinical symptoms were improved and RLS scores were lower than pretreatment ratings in both groups (P<0.05). After 6 weeks of treatment, RLS scores of low-dose group were lower than those of high-dose group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both the low-dose and high-dose Saccharum iron treatments increased the SF levels and improved clinical symptoms in patients with idiopathic RLS; however, the low-dose iron treatment was found to be more effective and had fewer side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China - baogaozx@163.com.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002681:China; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D031786:Saccharum / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron