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Restless leg syndrome and multiple sclerosis: a case-control study in China

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Abstract

Background

As a common neurological movement disorder, restless leg syndrome (RLS) is often seen in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the relationship between RLS and MS is still unclear. This case-control study aimed to measure RLS prevalence and uncover its association with MS, as well as to identify possible associated risk factors.

Methods

Six hundred and ninety-five patients were randomly selected from a cohort of patients with MS at the Neurology Department of our hospital, and a group of age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 603) was enrolled from the general population. Using a face-to-face interview questionnaire, we collected data on RLS incidence in participants with or without MS. We further assessed sleep quality in all the participants.

Results

We found there to be a significantly higher prevalence of RLS among patients with MS compared to healthy controls (odds ratio [OR], 3.8; P < 0.001). Risk factors such as an older MS age at onset and a longer MS duration were significantly associated with the presence of RLS. Furthermore, patients with both MS and RLS were more likely to suffer from sleep complaints compared to patients with MS without RLS.

Conclusions

RLS was significantly associated with MS and was found to have a significant impact on sleep quality, particularly in patients with MS.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all the participants and staff who took part in the questionnaire survey. This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (U1304804) and the Youth Innovation Fund of The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jian She Dong Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450002, People’s Republic of China

    Gangqiong Liu & Rui Xue

  2. Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jian She Dong Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450002, People’s Republic of China

    Gangqiong Liu

  3. Henan University, No. 85 Minglun Avenue, Kaifeng, 475001, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao Feng

  4. Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jian She Dong Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450002, People’s Republic of China

    Chao Lan, Ziqiang Zhu & Shengli Ma

  5. Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jian She Dong Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450002, People’s Republic of China

    Yu Guo

Authors
  1. Gangqiong Liu
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  2. Xiao Feng
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  3. Chao Lan
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  4. Ziqiang Zhu
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  5. Shengli Ma
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  6. Yu Guo
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  7. Rui Xue
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rui Xue.

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Liu, G., Feng, X., Lan, C. et al. Restless leg syndrome and multiple sclerosis: a case-control study in China. Sleep Breath 19, 1355–1360 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-015-1201-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-015-1201-3

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