Sleep medicine
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Because the diagnosis of restless legs syndrome (RLS) depends on clinical features ascertained by interview, it is important to have structured diagnostic instruments that can guide a diagnostician to an accurate diagnosis. With this aim in mind, the RLS Center at Johns Hopkins has been developing the Hopkins telephone diagnostic interview (HTDI). A previous validation was performed on a patient group. In the current report, we have extended that validation to a non-patient group drawn from on ongoing family study. ⋯ The HTDI managed a high level of diagnostic accuracy, showing only slightly less agreement than the two clinical interviewers. Because of a mean 12-month period between HTDI and clinical interview, this result also indicates that the subjects' reports of symptoms are consistent and stable. The HTDI should be useful for confirming questionnaire diagnoses or screening subjects to enter basic or therapeutic trials.