Prevalence of Restless Leg Syndrome and Its Effects on Quality of Sleep in Sample of MS Saudi Population

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis and related disorders 2023-03, Vol.71, p.104358, Article 104358
• Main Authors: Aljuaid, Hanouf, Alhamaid, Fawaz, Younis, Hossam, Meshref, Mostafa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2211-0348; 2211-0356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.104358

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system autoimmune disease that destroys myelin and causes axonal damage in the brain and spinal cord. Demyelinating diseases (DDs) have been linked to movement disorders (MDs). Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensory-motor disorder distinguished by an unpleasant sensation in the lower extremity. According to the findings of a recent systematic review and meta-analysis, RLS strengthens the evidence of an increased risk of RLS in MS patients (PwMS). The MS population had a mean prevalence of RLS of 27.5%, ranging from 13.2% to 65.1%, which was higher than the healthy controls . Our objective was to study the prevalence of RLS in MS population and the risk factors which may have role on the onset of RLS and to study the effect of RLS on sleep. After approval of the study by the Ethics Committee of King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital (KFAFH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (EK Number: REC 516), patients were recruited in the MS Clinic of the Dept. of Neurology between November 2021 and March 2022. The Inclusion criteria were diagnosed patients of clinically definite MS according to 2010 or 2017 McDonald criteria and an age between 18 and 60 years at the time of the survey for MS patients. The exclusion criteria were patients who had a history or current diseases, which may cause RLS. Also, pregnant women were also excluded. Baseline demographic characteristics were obtained and included age, sex, marital status, education., disease duration, MS course, EDSS score, data of last magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; within the last 3 months of the inclusion date; presence of infratentorial/spinal lesions), and DMT at time of inclusion were also collected). The study participants were asked to complete the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group Rating Scale (IRLSSG). All data were collected, calculated, tabulated, and statistically analyzed via SPSS software for windows version 26. The study included 66 patients who received different DMT. Most of the patient were females 46 (69.7%) while males were 20 (30.3%). The age ranged from 24 to 51 years in males with mean age 34.8 ±7.26 years and 22 to 50 years in females with mean age 33.24 ± 7.96 years and mean age 33.71 ± 7.73 for all patients. Most patients were married about 83.3% and 16.7% was single. Duration with MS was 6 ± 2.43 in males and 5.5 ± 3.5 in females. Regarding to DMT about 34.8% re