title: Restless legs syndrome in psoriasis: an unexpected comorbidity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move them in order to gain relief. Higher frequencies of RLS have been reported in systemic lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and atopic dermatitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Since the disease-related stress present in psoriasis is similar to the stress of those diseases, we aimed to study the frequency of RLS in a German cohort of patients with psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  300 patients with psoriasis and 300 healthy controls were evaluated for RLS symptoms in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While 17% (n = 51) of patients with psoriasis reported symptoms of RLS, only 4% (n = 12) of individuals without psoriasis suffered from RLS symptoms (95% confidence interval: 0.08 - 0.18, p<0.01). In patients with psoriasis and RLS the average RLS score was 16.0 ± 9.2 whereas individuals with RLS in the control group had an average RLS score of 13.5 ± 7.1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate an increased frequency of RLS in patients with psoriasis, suggesting screening patients with psoriasis for the presence of RLS as a well-treatable co-morbidity.
authors: Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research.
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Schell
authors: Department of Dermatology.
authors: Ramona
authors: R
authors: Schleich
authors: Department of Dermatology.
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Walker
authors: Department of Dermatology.
authors: Amir S
authors: AS
authors: Yazdi
authors: Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research.
authors: Holger
authors: H
authors: Lerche
authors: Department of Dermatology.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Röcken
authors: Center of Dentistry, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Surgery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Liebermeisterstr. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
authors: Detlef
authors: D
authors: Axmann
authors: Department of Dermatology.
authors: Kamran
authors: K
authors: Ghoreschi
authors: Department of Dermatology.
authors: Franziska C
authors: FC
authors: Eberle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: psoriasis; quality of life; restless legs syndrome