Association Between the rs1229984 Polymorphism in the Alcohol Dehydrogenase 1B Gene and Risk for Restless Legs Syndrome.

Background/objectives: Several studies have raised the possibility of an association between alcohol consumption and the risk of developing restless legs syndrome (RLS). Moreover, an important percentage of patients under alcohol detoxification therapy develop RLS symptoms that fulfil the criteria for idiopathic RLS during alcohol withdrawal. We have aimed to establish the possible association between two common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the alcohol-dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) gene and the risk for RLS.

Methods: We studied, using specific TaqMan assays, the genotype and allelic variant frequencies of ADH1B rs1229984 and ADH1B rs6413413 SNPs in 205 RLS patients and 505 gender-matched healthy controls.

Results: The sum of the frequencies of rs1229984CT and rs1229984TT genotypes, as well as the frequency of the rs1229984T allelic variant, was significantly higher in RLS patients than in controls, both in the whole group and in females. The frequencies of genotypes and allelic variants of the rs6413413 SNP were similar between the two groups. RLS patients with the rs1229984CT genotype were younger, and those with the rs122984TT genotype older, at onset of RLS symptoms than those with the rs1229984CC genotype. None of the studied SNPs were related either with positivity of family history for RLS or with RLS severity.

Conclusions: These results suggest an association between rs1229984 SNP and the risk for RLS.