RLS is a neurological disorder in which people feel an irresistible urge to move their legs, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. People with RLS experience uncomfortable sensations such as aching, itching, crawling, throbbing, and creeping.
These sensations typically occur when an individual is inactive and has been sitting for an extended period. People with RLS may find it difficult to sleep well.
In the study, researchers analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service from 2002 to 2019. They selected 9,919 patients with RLS and 9,919 matched controls for analyzing whether RLS was a risk factor for developing Parkinson’s.
Among RLS patients, the incidence of Parkinson’s was found to be 1.6 percent, higher than the 1 percent in the control group.
Dopamine agonists (DA) are often the first-line treatment for RLS. The study split the 9,919 RLS patients into two groups, with one receiving the DA treatment.
Only 15 patients from the DA-treated group were found to have developed Parkinson’s, compared to 143 among the untreated group. The treated group had a Parkinson’s incidence rate of 1.3 per 10,000 patient-years, far lower than the 27.3 for the untreated group.
“The patients with RLS who were not treated with DAs exhibited a statistically significantly shorter time to PD diagnosis,” said the study. In contrast, “those who were treated with DAs showed a statistically significantly longer time to PD diagnosis,” it said.
“This cohort study suggests that RLS may be associated with an increased risk of developing PD,” it said.
The study was funded by a grant from the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital Research Fund. The authors of the study reported no conflict of interest.
Another survey found that people with RLS experience anxiety and depression at four times the rate seen among the general American populace.
Restless legs syndrome typically “begins in the evening while people are awake, or when people are in bed trying to rest, and improves with walking, stretching, or massages,” said Dr. Shalini Paruthi, AASM spokesperson and chair of the board of directors of the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation.
“Because many people don’t view these symptoms as serious concerns, some wait years before they seek treatment for RLS,” she said.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, RLS can develop at any age but is typically seen to start from middle age and is more common among women.
While the exact cause of RLS is unknown, risk factors include specific gene variants associated with the condition, a family history of RLS, and low levels of iron in the brain, it said.
RLS could also be linked to dysfunction in the brain’s basal ganglia region that controls movement. The disorder can occur alongside conditions such as neuropathy, sleep deprivation, and other sleep conditions, pregnancy, and end-stage renal disease.
In addition to sensations such as throbbing, crawling, and aching in the legs, people with RLS may also experience symptoms such as mood changes, concentration trouble, depression, exhaustion, sleepiness during daytime, and memory issues, the institute said.
Medications such as antipsychotic drugs, anti-nausea drugs, and antidepressants that raise serotonin may also exacerbate symptoms of RLS, it said.
Natural approaches to managing RLS involve taking Vitamin C and E, engaging in moderate aerobic and resistance exercises, and maintaining good sleep habits such as a consistent sleep schedule.
As for Parkinson’s, approximately 90,000 Americans are diagnosed with the illness annually, according to the nonprofit Parkinson’s Foundation.
Around 1.1 million people in the United States are estimated to be living with Parkinson’s, with the number projected to jump to 1.2 million by the end of this decade, the foundation said, adding that Parkinson’s is the “second-most common neurodegenerative disease” after Alzheimer’s.
“The incidence of Parkinson’s disease increases with age, but an estimated 4 percent of people with PD are diagnosed before age 50,” it said. “Men are 1.5 times more likely to have Parkinson’s disease than women.”
