Treating Anemia May Resolve Restless Legs Syndrome

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I realize that iron suppliments are not good for people with PD+ disorders

and we are usually told to take vitamins w/o iron. I don't remember the

exact reason why unless it has to do with the absorbtion of the other

medications given. I'm sure someone on the list will remember exactly

why...

Anyway, I ran across this article this morning and it made me think... I

have RLS and am being treated for it with Baclofen. I remember someone

posting this week about what is RLS and I found some links about it.

Anyway, thought this was interesting reading

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

http://reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=healthnews & StoryID=1742599

Treating Anemia May Resolve Restless Legs Syndrome

November 14, 2002 06:09 PM ET

By a Moyer

MIAMI (Reuters Health) - Patients with restless legs syndrome may want to

find out if iron deficiency is causing their symptoms, particularly if

medication does not solve the problem, according to Dr. Birgit Frauscher.

She and colleagues from the University of Innsbruck in Austria followed the

case of a man with long-standing restless legs syndrome. The man was found

to have low levels of iron in his blood. When he was given blood

transfusions after a surgery, his symptoms disappeared.

" Cases of restless legs syndrome which do not respond to medication may be

due to iron insufficiency, " Dr. Birgit Hogl told Reuters Health. In most

cases, an iron supplement would be the appropriate treatment, she said,

noting that in this case the patient was very ill and required blood

transfusions before he could undergo surgery for cancer.

Frauscher, a neurology resident, was the principal investigator and

presented the findings here at the Movement Disorders Society's Seventh

International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders. Hogl,

the chief of the sleep disorders clinic at the University of Innsbruck,

collaborated with her.

Restless legs syndrome, also known as RLS, is a common condition marked by a

discomfort in the legs and an irresistible urge to move them. RLS is

typically worse at night and at rest, and is therefore considered a sleep

disorder. Although no medication is approved in the United States for

treatment of RLS, physicians often prescribe certain drugs that are used to

treat Parkinson's disease, because it is thought that, like Parkinson's, RLS

is caused by an inadequate amount of dopamine in the brain.

Physicians have known for some time that in certain patients inadequate iron

may be the underlying cause of RLS. This may be particularly true for

patients who develop the condition in association with other serious medical

problems, such as kidney failure, or patients who become anemic while

undergoing chemotherapy.

In this case, a 70-year-old male patient with a 6-year history of RLS had

experienced severe worsening of his symptoms for 2 months. When he was

examined, he was found to have cirrhosis of the liver and stomach cancer.

When he was seen at the sleep disorders clinic, a 3-night study showed that

he had severe insomnia.

Hogl and colleagues also conducted an RLS test known as " SIT " (suggested

immobilization test), in which the patient is told not to move. The SIT

results showed that the man's legs jerked involuntarily when he tried to

remain still, a characteristic RLS symptom. When the patient was given

levodopa, pergolide and ropinirole, medications often used to treat RLS, he

experienced no relief.

The physicians then reviewed the patient's chart and conducted several

laboratory tests. They found a slightly decreased iron blood level and also

found that the patient's iron levels were lowest when the RLS symptoms were

the most severe.

After the patient underwent surgery to receive a liver shunt and to remove a

portion of his stomach, he received blood transfusions. His RLS disappeared,

and he remains symptom free.

Hogl said that, although the patient had other serious health problems, the

RLS was very disruptive. She urged family members to make sure that

individuals with RLS get help. " RLS has a serious effect on the patient's

quality of life, " she said. " This particular patient was so plagued with

insomnia due to the RLS that he had developed suicidal thoughts. "

Hugs and Warm Fuzzies,

Deborah aka Tenacity

Personal website & photo's

http://www.pdhangout.com

http://community.webshots.com/user/tenacitywins

_________________________________________________________________

Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online

http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I realize that iron suppliments are not good for people with PD+ disorders

and we are usually told to take vitamins w/o iron. I don't remember the

exact reason why unless it has to do with the absorbtion of the other

medications given. I'm sure someone on the list will remember exactly

why...

Anyway, I ran across this article this morning and it made me think... I

have RLS and am being treated for it with Baclofen. I remember someone

posting this week about what is RLS and I found some links about it.

Anyway, thought this was interesting reading

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

http://reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=healthnews & StoryID=1742599

Treating Anemia May Resolve Restless Legs Syndrome

November 14, 2002 06:09 PM ET

By a Moyer

MIAMI (Reuters Health) - Patients with restless legs syndrome may want to

find out if iron deficiency is causing their symptoms, particularly if

medication does not solve the problem, according to Dr. Birgit Frauscher.

She and colleagues from the University of Innsbruck in Austria followed the

case of a man with long-standing restless legs syndrome. The man was found

to have low levels of iron in his blood. When he was given blood

transfusions after a surgery, his symptoms disappeared.

" Cases of restless legs syndrome which do not respond to medication may be

due to iron insufficiency, " Dr. Birgit Hogl told Reuters Health. In most

cases, an iron supplement would be the appropriate treatment, she said,

noting that in this case the patient was very ill and required blood

transfusions before he could undergo surgery for cancer.

Frauscher, a neurology resident, was the principal investigator and

presented the findings here at the Movement Disorders Society's Seventh

International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders. Hogl,

the chief of the sleep disorders clinic at the University of Innsbruck,

collaborated with her.

Restless legs syndrome, also known as RLS, is a common condition marked by a

discomfort in the legs and an irresistible urge to move them. RLS is

typically worse at night and at rest, and is therefore considered a sleep

disorder. Although no medication is approved in the United States for

treatment of RLS, physicians often prescribe certain drugs that are used to

treat Parkinson's disease, because it is thought that, like Parkinson's, RLS

is caused by an inadequate amount of dopamine in the brain.

Physicians have known for some time that in certain patients inadequate iron

may be the underlying cause of RLS. This may be particularly true for

patients who develop the condition in association with other serious medical

problems, such as kidney failure, or patients who become anemic while

undergoing chemotherapy.

In this case, a 70-year-old male patient with a 6-year history of RLS had

experienced severe worsening of his symptoms for 2 months. When he was

examined, he was found to have cirrhosis of the liver and stomach cancer.

When he was seen at the sleep disorders clinic, a 3-night study showed that

he had severe insomnia.

Hogl and colleagues also conducted an RLS test known as " SIT " (suggested

immobilization test), in which the patient is told not to move. The SIT

results showed that the man's legs jerked involuntarily when he tried to

remain still, a characteristic RLS symptom. When the patient was given

levodopa, pergolide and ropinirole, medications often used to treat RLS, he

experienced no relief.

The physicians then reviewed the patient's chart and conducted several

laboratory tests. They found a slightly decreased iron blood level and also

found that the patient's iron levels were lowest when the RLS symptoms were

the most severe.

After the patient underwent surgery to receive a liver shunt and to remove a

portion of his stomach, he received blood transfusions. His RLS disappeared,

and he remains symptom free.

Hogl said that, although the patient had other serious health problems, the

RLS was very disruptive. She urged family members to make sure that

individuals with RLS get help. " RLS has a serious effect on the patient's

quality of life, " she said. " This particular patient was so plagued with

insomnia due to the RLS that he had developed suicidal thoughts. "

Hugs and Warm Fuzzies,

Deborah aka Tenacity

Personal website & photo's

http://www.pdhangout.com

http://community.webshots.com/user/tenacitywins

_________________________________________________________________

Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online

http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963