RESEARCH - Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and quality of life issues in restless legs syndrome

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Am J Med. 2007 Jan;120(1 Suppl 1):S4-S12.

Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and quality of life issues in restless

legs syndrome.

Stanford University Center of Excellence for Sleep Disorders, Stanford

University Medical Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a generally underdiagnosed and undertreated

condition. It is a common cause of sleep disturbance that can severely

disrupt normal life functioning. However, because of the failure to

recognize RLS as a distinct disorder, clinicians have minimized the

significance of the morbidity experienced by some patients. A positive

family history is present in >50% of patients with RLS. Indeed, a person

with RLS is 3 to 6 times more likely to have a positive family history of

RLS than is an individual who does not have the disease. The differential

diagnosis of RLS includes both movement and sleep disorders. Establishing an

accurate diagnosis is crucial because effective treatment is available. In

2002, RLS experts revised diagnostic criteria and established 4 essential

criteria for the diagnosis. Assessing the most bothersome symptoms and

quantifying the severity of RLS are important because not all patients

require medical therapy. Moreover, therapy may vary according to which

symptom represents the major problem.

PMID: 17198769

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