Crohn's disease is associated with Restless Leg Syndrome - Article

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I'm Terri and I don't post very often, but read almost all the posts. I've been

on SCD since June of 2009. Besides having IBS and diverticulosis I also have

Restless Leg Syndrome. I am on oxycodoine for the severe RLS and each year take

a " drug holiday " of 2 days. I'm off the medicaton, which pretty much means I

walk the floor and don't sleep for two days. This weekend was my drug holiday

and I noticed something unusual. I actually slept for 2-3 hours each of the two

nights! This is a big improvement for me. So I got online and found this

article that associates Crohns with RLS.

" Crohn's disease is associated with restless legs syndrome.

Weinstock LB, Bosworth BP, Scherl EJ, Li E, Iroku U, Munsell MA, Mullen GE,

Walters AS.

Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

lw@...

Comment in:

Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2010 Feb;16(2):280-1.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn's disease (CD) have not

previously included the central nervous system (CNS). Restless legs syndrome

(RLS) is a CNS disorder that is either idiopathic or secondary to a number of

diseases. The aim of this study was to determine if RLS was associated with CD

because both are associated with iron deficiency, inflammation, and bacterial

overgrowth. METHODS: Consecutive CD outpatients (N = 272) were prospectively

surveyed at 4 centers for criteria for RLS. Incidence (having RLS at any point

in time), prevalence (having RLS at time of survey), clinical characteristics,

risk factors, and potential qualitative relationship between RLS and

gastrointestinal symptoms were queried. RESULTS: The incidence of RLS in

patients with CD was 42.7%. Prevalence was 30.2% compared with 9% of spouses. CD

patients with and without RLS had a mean age of 46.8 versus 42.6 years, small

intestine involvement in 77.9% versus 66.7%, colon involvement in 39.7% versus

63.2%, and prior iron deficiency anemia in 49.3% versus 33.1%. There was no

difference between the CD groups with respect to current iron deficiency, RLS

family history, or rare prevalence of concomitant RLS disorders. In 91.8% of

patients with RLS and CD, RLS started during or after the onset of CD diagnosis.

Among 73 patients with RLS, 67 (44.5%) stated there was a relationship between

qualitative RLS symptom improvement with overall CD symptom improvement.

CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that RLS occurs frequently in CD and

appears to be a possible extraintestinal manifestation. The potential

relationship of RLS with CD activity warrants further investigation.

PMID: 19575360 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] "

So I am hopeful that in healing my gut issues I am also helping the RLS! I just

thought this might be helpful to someone else who fights with this disease.

I appreciate all the help I receive from all of you. And I don't say it enough.

- Thank you!

Terri