Restless leg syndrome and multiple sclerosis: a case-control study in China

Background As a common neurological movement disorder, restless leg syndrome (RLS) is often seen in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the relationship between RLS and MS is still unclear. This case-control study aimed to measure RLS prevalence and uncover its association with MS, as well as to identify possible associated risk factors. Methods Six hundred and ninety-five patients were randomly selected from a cohort of patients with MS at the Neurology Department of our hospital, and a group of age- and sex-matched healthy controls ( n = 603) was enrolled from the general population. Using a face-to-face interview questionnaire, we collected data on RLS incidence in participants with or without MS. We further assessed sleep quality in all the participants. Results We found there to be a significantly higher prevalence of RLS among patients with MS compared to healthy controls (odds ratio [OR], 3.8; P