Clinical features and subtypes of restless legs syndrome in Chinese population: a study of 359 patients

• Published in: Sleep medicine 2019-07, Vol.59, p.15-23
• Main Authors: Zhu, Xiao-Ying, Wu, Ting-Ting, Wang, Hong-Ming, Ni, Ling-Yan, Li, Xuan, Liu, Ye, Zhang, Xiao-Jin, Chen, Ya-Jing, Cui, Xin-Xin, Ondo, William G., Wu, Yun-Cheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chinese; Ferritin; Iron deficiency; Restless legs syndrome; Subtype
• ISSN: 1389-9457; 1878-5506
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2019.01.053

The clinical spectrum of restless legs syndrome (RLS) has not been described in a Chinese population. We aim to evaluate the detailed clinical profile in a cohort of unselected RLS patients in China. We enrolled RLS patients continuously according to the diagnostic criteria. Laboratory examinations were performed to exclude mimics and notable comorbidities. A total of 359 patients with RLS were enrolled. RLS symptoms were mostly symmetrical (65.2%), and purely unilateral RLS was not common (5.6%); however, unilateral dominant RLS was relatively more common. Only 1.1% of RLS patients reported no unpleasant sensations in the legs. The largest proportion of RLS patients described their uncomfortable sensation as indescribable (43.5%) and reported soreness (40.4%). In all, 8.9% of RLS patients described their abnormal sensation as painful, and 34.5% of RLS patients reported their symptoms fluctuated with seasonal trends. This population had a higher likelihood of an RLS family history. RLS patients with summer exacerbation had a younger age at RLS onset and longer disease duration (p