• G Giannini, S Zanigni, R Melotti, M Gögele, F Provini, M F Facheris, P Cortelli, and P P Pramstaller.
• Center for Biomedicine, European Academy Bozen/Bolzano (EURAC) (affiliated institute of the University of Lübeck), Bolzano, Italy.
• Eur. J. Neurol. 2014 Jan 1; 21 (1): 72-8.

Background And PurposeRestless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sleep-related movement disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to move the legs accompanied by paresthesia and/or dysesthesia that begins or worsens in the evening and night and that is partially or totally relieved by movement. Many studies have investigated the association between RLS and cardiovascular risk factors, particularly hypertension, leading to conflicting results. The aim of this study was to assess the association between RLS and hypertension considering also other cardiovascular risk factors that could act as confounders.MethodsIn all, 1709 participants of an on-going adult population-based study performed in South Tyrol, northern Italy, were enrolled. RLS was assessed through face-to-face interviews according to current International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group diagnostic criteria. The presence of hypertension was self-reported and determined by questionnaires administered by trained study nurses.ResultsThe association between RLS and hypertension was not significant after adjustment for age, sex, diabetes mellitus, history of myocardial infarction, raised blood lipids and body mass index (odds ratio 1.24, 95% CI 0.85-1.80, P = 0.271).ConclusionDespite the small sample size of this study, RLS and hypertension were not associated in our adult population after adjustment for possible confounding factors. The presence of other cardiovascular risk factors could play a role as a confounder of this association.© 2013 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2013 EFNS.

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