• Carin Behrens van Tonder, Gina Joubert, and Anand Moodley.
• Department of Neurology, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
• Afr Health Sci. 2023 Sep 1; 23 (3): 764777764-777.

BackgroundRestless legs syndrome (RLS) occurs in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF).ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence and morbidity of RLS in CRF patients on dialysis.MethodsThis cross-sectional questionnaire-based study included 100 dialysis patients (50 on haemodialysis [HD]; 50 on peritoneal dialysis [PD]). A focused lower limb examination was done. Patients were classified with RLS when reporting uncomfortable feelings in their legs that improved with movement and worsened when resting and at night.ResultsGender distribution was equal. The median age was 43 (19-67) years. Six patients (HD and PD n=3 each) had international criteria-confirmed RLS. Twenty-four patients reported symptoms suggestive of RLS. Fourteen and 16 patients with RLS symptoms were on HD and PD, respectively. Sleep disturbances occurred in 43.3% (n=13) of patients with RLS symptoms, compared to 20.0% (n=20) of the large cohort. Sleep disturbances, peripheral sensory loss, chronic disease-related anaemia, increased urea and decreased albumin levels were more common among patients with RLS symptoms.ConclusionRLS symptoms occurred in 30.0% of the entire cohort, although only 6.0% met the international criteria. The type of dialysis had no impact on the incidence of symptoms. Identifying RLS in patients with CRF on dialysis will allow for early intervention.© 2023 van Tonder CB et al.

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