title: Restless legs syndrome does not affect 3-year mortality in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Uremic restless legs syndrome (RLS) has been related to an enhanced mortality of hemodialysis (HD) patients. In the general population studies of this association have yielded inconsistent results. The aim of the present study was to re-evaluate the relationship of RLS and mortality in HD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recorded the 3-year mortality in 579 HD patients after assessment for RLS symptoms. This population has been previously evaluated for the prevalence of RLS, according to the essential criteria of the International RLS Study Group. Mortality data were acquired from the national end-stage renal disease registry. Survival probability was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and analyzed by the log-rank test. For multivariate survival analysis, we implemented a Cox regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 3-year follow-up, we documented 118 deaths. Mortality was 15.6% in patients with RLS and 22.3% in patients without RLS (p =  0.079). According to the Cox regression analysis, there was no significant association between RLS and 3-year mortality, either in an age- and gender-adjusted model (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.772, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.488-1.219, p = 0.267) or in a multivariate adjusted model (HR = 0.667, 95% CI = 0.417-1.069, p = 0.092).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnosis of RLS according to the essential criteria of the International RLS Study Group does not seem to influence the 3-year mortality in HD patients. Our findings are in contrast to those in some previous reports, and reinforce the need for further studies of RLS and mortality in HD.
authors: Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece. Electronic address: stefanid@med.uth.gr.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Stefanidis
authors: Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Vainas
authors: Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors: C D
authors: CD
authors: Giannaki
authors: Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Dardiotis
authors: Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Spanoulis
authors: Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Sounidaki
authors: Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Eleftheriadis
authors: Department of Nephrology, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Liakopoulos
authors: School of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Greece.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Karatzaferi
authors: School of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Greece.
authors: G K
authors: GK
authors: Sakkas
authors: Department of Biomathematics, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece; Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Zintzaras
authors: Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors: G M
authors: GM
authors: Hadjigeorgiou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: End-stage renal disease; Epidemiological study; Hemodialysis; Mortality; Restless legs syndrome