Restless Leg Syndrome Affects Anxiety, Sleep, HRQoL in Patients with MS

In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), restless leg syndrome (RLS) was associated with functional capacity, anxiety, sleep quality, and mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL), according to a study.

Patients with relapse-remitting MS were stratified by whether they did (MS-RLS+) or did not have RLS (MS-RLS-). All patients completed questionnaires to ascertain their HRQoL, fatigue levels, sleep quality, daily sleepiness, anxiety, and depression symptoms. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was used to evaluate functional capacity.

There were 19 patients in the MS-RLS+ group, for an overall prevalence of 41.3%, and 27 patients in the MS-RLS- group. Patients in the MS-RLS+ group, compared with those without RLS, had higher mean EDSS scores (1.87±1.03 vs. 1.22±0.58), more cranial (n=18 [94.7%] vs. n=18 [66.7%] and spinal lesions 2.74±1.76 vs. 1.33±1.3), longer disease duration (11.11±5.82 years vs. 8.26±6.89 years), and older age (45.32±10.61 years vs. 38.07±7.74 years). Among patients with RLS, a positive correlation was identified between symptom severity scores and higher anxiety and poor sleep quality. A negative correlation was observed between symptom severity score and mental HRQoL and pain scores.

“Further studies using more accurate diagnostic strategies for identifying RLS and other sleep disorders are necessary to clarify the association of MS with RLS and explore relevant clinical implications,” the researchers concluded.