The global and regional prevalence of restless legs syndrome among adults: A systematic review and modelling analysis.

J Glob Health

Centre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

Published: June 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • - Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common neuro-sensory disorder affecting quality of life, with a global prevalence among adults aged 20-79 years estimated at 7.12%, translating to approximately 356 million individuals affected in 2019.
  • - The study analyzed 52 publications from 23 countries, noting that prevalence rates were similar in high and low/middle socio-demographic regions, with Europe having the highest prevalence rate of 7.60% and Africa the lowest at 6.48%.
  • - Factors linked to a higher likelihood of developing RLS included older age, smoking, depression, and diabetes, indicating the need for awareness and potential intervention strategies targeting these risk factors.

Article Abstract

Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a prevalent neuro-sensory disorder that impairs quality of life. In this systematic review and modelling study, we estimated the global and regional prevalence of RLS and its associated factors.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Medline for population-based studies on RLS prevalence published up to 12 November 2023. The included studies reported prevalence using the International Restless Leg Syndrome Study Group's (IRLSSG) minimal diagnostic criteria without limitations on frequency, duration, or severity. We applied a multilevel multivariable mixed-effects meta-regression to generate the age-specific and sex-specific prevalence of RLS for high socio-demographic index (H-SDI) and low and middle socio-demographic index (LM-SDI) regions. We pooled odds ratios (ORs) for RLS associated factors using random-effects models. Finally, we derived the regional prevalence and cases of RLS based on an associated factor-based model.

Results: From 52 articles across 23 countries, the global RLS prevalence in 2019 was estimated to be 7.12% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.15-9.76) among adults 20-79 years of age, equating to 356.07 million (95% CI = 257.61-488.09) affected individuals. Prevalence was similar in H-SDI (7.29%; 95% CI = 5.04-10.41) and LM-SDI (7.10%; 95% CI = 5.16-9.70) regions, with the majority of cases in LM-SDI countries (323.06 million; 90.73%). Europe had the highest (7.60%; 95% CI = 5.44-10.52) and Africa the lowest regional prevalence (6.48%; 95% CI = 4.70-8.87). The Western Pacific Region, meanwhile, had the most cases (111.91 million; 95% CI = 80.93-153.42). Factors positively associated with RLS included advanced age (OR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.04-1.24), smoking (OR = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.29-1.64), depression (OR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.26-2.32), and diabetes (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.19-1.97).

Conclusions: A considerable global burden of RLS exists. Effective strategies are needed to increase awareness and optimise resource allocation to address this often-overlooked condition. High-quality epidemiological investigations employing standardised and rigorous criteria for RLS are essential for addressing RLS burden more effectively.

Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42020161860.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11156251PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.7189/jogh.14.04113DOI Listing

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