Chapter 12 - Restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movements in sleep, and vascular risk factors

Summary

This chapter examines the evidence from recent studies linking restless legs syndrome (RLS) to increased risk for the subsequent development and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and discusses the possible causal pathways of this association. It summarizes the results of the studies that suggest a possible relationship between self-reported RLS symptoms, hypertension, and CVD persisting even after adjustment for multiple potential confounders, including age, gender, sleep disorders, BMI, and lifestyle factors. The broad differences in ascertainment procedures and diagnostic criteria used for both RLS and CVD among the different studies make a comparison across studies challenging. Moreover, some studies were conducted for other reasons and were not specifically designed to investigate CVD in RLS patients. The increased autonomic activity due to periodic limb movements (PLMS), the effect of chronic sleep deprivation, and comorbidities associated with RLS/PLMS are all possible factors that predispose RLS patients to heart disease and stroke.