title: Restless legs syndrome is associated with poor sleep quality and quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a questionnaire-based study.
abstract: We aimed to investigate the frequency of restless legs syndrome (RLS) and the associations between RLS and quality of sleep and life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). One hundred and eight AS patients and 64 controls were included in this study. Demographics, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded. The presence of RLS was determined with face-to-face interview by an experienced neurologist based on the International RLS Study Group criteria. RLS severity was evaluated using International RLS Study Group rating scale. Sleep quality and insomnia severity were assessed by Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and insomnia severity index (ISI), respectively. Disease-related quality of life was evaluated by AS quality of life questionnaire (ASQoL). The frequency of RLS was significantly higher in AS patients than in controls (36.4 vs. 14.0 %, p = 0.004). RLS severity score for AS patients was significantly higher than that for controls (p = 0.03). The AS patients had higher scores in the subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication domains of PSQI, and also total PSQI and ISI than controls (p < 0.05, for all). ASQoL scores were higher in AS patients with RLS compared to those without RLS (p < 0.001). RLS severity was observed to be independently associated with total PSQI, ISI and ASQoL (p < 0.05, for all). As RLS may adversely affect the sleep and quality of life in AS patients, clinicians should be aware of RLS for early diagnosis and management in AS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey. sdndemirci@yahoo.com.tr.
authors.forename: Seden
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demirci
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demirci
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: Atalay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doğru
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra Erkol
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: İnal
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan Rifat
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Koyuncuoğlu
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Şahin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis; Quality of life; Restless legs syndrome; Sleep