Are We Aware of Restless Legs Syndrome in COPD Patients Who Are in an Exacerbation Period? Frequency and Probable Factors Related to Underlying Mechanism

Abstract

A few previous studies have reported that the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a 29.1% to 36.8% frequency of restless legs syndrome (RLS). In this study, we observed RLS symptoms in patients experiencing COPD exacerbation to better understand the relationship between the many clinical parameters of COPD and the presence of RLS and to attract the attention of specialists on the association between the two conditions. Twenty-two male patients in COPD exacerbation; 17 healthy individuals were evaluated in this study. The patients were evaluated using the 2003 RLS symptom criteria outlined by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Groups (IRLSSG). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Epworth daytime sleepiness scale were used to assess the sleep quality of patients. The RLS symptoms were correlated with blood levels of laboratory and clinical parameters. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 17.0 statistical software packet. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Epworth daytime sleepiness scale scores were increased in COPD patients and correlated significantly with RLS symptoms. It was found that 54.5% of COPD patients with acute exacerbations were observed to have RLS symptoms. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was significantly higher in COPD patients with RLS symptoms compared to COPD patients without RLS symptoms (p < 0.05). We did not observe any significant difference in the previously reported metabolic and clinical parameters associated with RLS in COPD patients with and without RLS. RLS symptoms increase during COPD exacerbation and lead to decreased sleep quality.

Sleep Disorders in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Etiology, Impact, and Management

“…RLS symptoms worsen during COPD exacerbations, further affecting sleep. 15 Psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety frequently accompany chronic medical disorders. Prevalence rates of up to 80% for depression and 74% for anxiety have been reported in COPD patients.…”

Chronic pulmonary disease is associated with pain spreading and restless legs syndrome in middle-aged women—a population-based study

“…RLS symptomatology was more severe in those patients with COPD and there was an association with increased daytime sleepiness. Further data demonstrated a RLS prevalence of 54.5% in patients during an acute exacerbation of COPD [24]. In a large population-based sample of males and females from Sweden and Iceland, Benediktsdottir and coworkers found a higher prevalence of RLS in subjects Model 2 (adjusted for cardiovascular, metabolic, and psychiatric comorbidities)…”

Management of Restless Legs Syndrome/Willis-Ekbom Disease in Hospitalized and Perioperative Patients

“…The prevalence of RLS is approximately 30% to 40% in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. 49 An investigation compared COPD patients hospitalized for respiratory exacerbations with healthy volunteers and found that 54.5% of inpatients with COPD exacerbation met criteria for a diagnosis of RLS compared with 5.4% of controls (P 5 .001). 49 The mechanism linking RLS to COPD is unclear; however the previously described data suggest that patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation may be at high risk.…”