Objective: To determine the prevalence of restless legs syndrome in patients on hemodialysis.

Background: The restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a frequent complication of hemodialysis and it’s been reported that RLS increases the cardiovascular risk and mortality in these patients. Nevertheless, the Mexican epidemiology of RLS remains unknown; hence, a cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of this syndrome.

Methods: We designed a cross-sectional study with hemodialyzed patients treated at the Renal Unit of University Hospital “Dr. José Eleuterio González” using a survey in which sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected.  RLS was defined by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) criteria.

Results: A total of 105 patients were included in which only 19 met the IRLSSG criteria; so, prevalence was estimated to be 18%. We found a mean age of 45.5±17.1 and 11 patients (57.9%) were female gender. Among the most common comorbidities, 18 (97.4%) had arterial hypertension, 11 (57.9%) had diabetes mellitus and 12 (63.2%) had iron deficiency anemia. The median time of hemodialysis treatment was 2 years (range 0.04–7.0), the median completed sessions was 129 (range 5-397) and the median sessions per week was 2 (range 1.0–4.0). A chronic catheter was used in all patients and 5 (26.3%) referred being on peritoneal dialysis in the past. Uremic pruritus presented on 8 (42.1%). Also, a mean Hb of 7.91±1.38 g/dL, hematocrit 24.8±4.3%, mean cell volume 90.3±7.4 fL, mean cell hemoglobin 28.9±2.8 pg, BUN 53.6 ±27.3 mg/dL, serum creatinine 9.7±3.6 mg/dL, glomerular filtration rate (MDRD-4) 7.3±3.2 mL/min/1.73m2; serum sodium findings of 137.1±2.9 mmol/L, potassium 5.0±0.9 mmol/L, chloride 101.9±4.8 mmol/L, calcium 8.2±0.9 mmol/L, magnesium 2.7±0.4 mmol/L and phosphorum 5.1±1.5 mmol/L.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that restless legs syndrome is a frequent complication in patients on hemodialysis.

References: 1.Allen RP, Picchietti DL, Garcia-Borreguero D, Ondo WG, Walters AS, Winkelman JW, et al. Restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease diagnostic criteria: updated International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) consensus criteria–history, rationale, description, and significance. Sleep Med 2014,15:860-873.

2.Lajous M, Kurth T, Catzin-Kuhlmann A, Romieu I, Lopez-Ridaura R. [Prevalence of restless legs syndrome in 69,830 Mexican women]. Rev Invest Clin 2014,66:303-306.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/prevalence-of-restless-legs-syndrome-in-hemodialyzed-patients/