The Effect of Cold Dialysis in Motor and Sensory Symptoms of RLS/WED Occurring During Hemodialysis: A Double-Blind Study

Current updates in Restless Legs Syndrome: A pragmatic review

Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also called Willis–Ekbom disease (WED), affects approximately 3% of the global population, with higher incidence in Caucasians and women. This review explores the latest advancements in the diagnosis, pathophysiology, and management of RLS, and it highlights the recent changes in diagnostic criteria that improve specificity. The diagnostic spectrum now includes atypical presentations involving the upper limbs and other body parts. The new diagnostic specifiers categorize RLS more effectively into chronic-persistent or intermittent types, and a clinical significance specifier has been introduced to better address the disorder’s effects on daily life. RLS management has shifted toward a balanced approach with non-pharmacological strategies and lifestyle changes, supported by updated pharmacological treatment protocols including iron therapy designed to mitigate risks such as augmentation. Notably, gabapentinoids have emerged as a superior treatment option over dopamine agonists owing to their lower risk of augmentation and superior safety profile. Innovative treatments, such as the FDA-approved tonic motor activation device and new pharmacological agents, serve as alternatives for treating medication-refractory RLS, thereby expanding the therapeutic landscape. Additionally, this review addresses the specific considerations for managing RLS in special groups, including pregnant women, individuals with chronic kidney disease, and patients with comorbid conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. We emphasizes the dynamic nature of RLS research and highlight the critical need for ongoing studies to further elucidate the complex mechanisms underlying RLS, as well as to refine the treatment modalities to enhance patient outcomes.

The prevalence and associated factors of seasonal exacerbation of subjective symptoms in Japanese patients with restless legs syndrome

OBJECTIVES

To elucidate the prevalence of seasonal exacerbation in patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and identify its associated factors.

METHODS

We investigated the presence/absence of seasonal exacerbation of RLS by distributing self-administered questionnaires with an interval of three years. Patients who reported having seasonal exacerbation in both surveys were defined as having seasonal exacerbation. RLS severity was determined using the International Restless Legs Syndrome Rating Scale (IRLS).

RESULTS

Among 180 patients, 89 reported having seasonal exacerbation in the first survey. Among them, only two reported not having seasonal exacerbation in the second survey; thus, 87 (48.3%) patients were considered to have a seasonal exacerbation. Although many of them (68 out of 87, 78.2%) experienced exacerbation in spring or summer, 19 out of 87 (21.8%) reported that their symptoms worsened in fall or winter. All the patients in this study had mild to moderate degrees of RLS severity according to the IRLS score. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that having a family history of RLS (p < 0.05) and moderate RLS (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the presence of seasonal exacerbation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that approximately half of all RLS patients had seasonal exacerbation of the symptoms and that about 80% of the exacerbation was observed during the spring/summer season. Moreover, seasonal exacerbation is likely to be present even in patients whose symptoms had been improved to moderate severity with pharmacological treatment.

Restless Leg Syndrome in Hemodialysis Patients: A Narrative Review

BACKGROUND

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a clinical entity characterized by sensory-motor manifestations commonly observed in end-stage renal illness. Evidence suggests that RLS is a multifactorial phenomenon that can be influenced by many critical factors, including genetic predisposition, dietary patterns, and deficiency in some vitamins. Iron metabolism disorders and metabolic derangements have been generally accepted as predisposing elements in RLS. Furthermore, both pharmacological and neuroimaging studies demonstrated dopamine deficiency and dopamine receptors decrease in basal ganglia during RLS.

REVIEW SUMMARY

A literature search was done in three databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane) to identify the pertinent articles discussing the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and management of RLS in hemodialysis patients. RLS can affect the morbidity and mortality of patients treated with dialysis. It also has significant impacts on the quality of life since it can lead to insomnia, increased fatigue, mental health troubles, and other movement problems. Appropriate measures should be considered in this particular population so to prevent and treat RLS. Many drugs and other nonpharmacological methods have been investigated to attenuate the disease's severity. No treatment, however, could offer long-term effects.

CONCLUSION

Further efforts are still required to improve the understanding of RLS pathogenic trends to find more specific and efficient therapies. A wide range of treatment options is available. However, it can be individualized according to the patients' several factors.

Restless Leg Syndrome in the Setting of Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease on Hemodialysis: A Literature Review

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), or Willis-Ekbom disease (WED), is an irresistible urge to move the legs, predominantly while resting, sitting, or sleeping, which disrupts sleep and impairs quality of life. RLS can occur secondary to uremia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients due to inadequate hemodialysis. Early diagnosis is essential to prevent muscular atrophy and to improve the quality of life of RLS patients, especially those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Cardiac mortality high in uremic RLS patients due to associated discomfort and lowering the duration of hemodialysis treatment. This review focuses on and discusses the diagnosis, treatment, and associated comorbid conditions of uremic RLS. Though the exact pathophysiology is unknown, altered transferrin expression in the choroid plexus, increased glutamate levels in the thalamus, decreased opioid receptors, dopamine system dysfunction, calcium/phosphate imbalance, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the BTBD9 and MEIS1 genes are a few nonconfirmatory pathophysiological concepts for uremic RLS. Nonpharmacological options include lowering the temperature of dialysate by 1 degree C and home-based therapies like massages, warm/cold baths, and aerobic exercises. Pharmacological therapy like dopamine agonists ropinirole and pramipexole reduces the symptoms effectively. However, surgical options like parathyroidectomy and renal transplantation are stated as the best treatment options in patients suffering from uremic RLS.