Restless legs syndrome in multiple sclerosis.

Background/aim: There have been conflicting results in the literature regarding the relationship between functional system involvement, the expanded disability status scale (EDSS), and the presence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Materials And Methods: Ninety-one patients with MS and 40 patients in a control group (headache, essential tremor, and benign positional paroxysmal vertigo) were studied. The patients underwent a complete neurological examination and Kurtzke functional system scores were calculated. In order to assess the temporal relation between the onset of RLS and MS, a semistructured interview guided by a questionnaire about RLS was applied to all of the patients.

Results: Sixteen (17.6%) of the patients with MS and 1 (2.5%) patient in the control group had RLS. The prevalence of RLS was higher in patients with MS, compared to the control group (P = 0.018). Among the patients with MS, none of them suffered from RLS before the onset of MS, whereas sixteen patients (16%) suffered RLS after the onset of MS. There was no significant relationship between functional system involvement and the presence of RLS.

Conclusion: The prevalence of RLS was higher in MS patients than it was in the control group. No association was found between RLS and functional system involvement in MS patients.