Oxidative stress and autonomic nervous system functions in restless legs syndrome

Eur J Clin Invest 2011; 41 (7): 734–742 Background Oxidative stress has been implicated in over 100 disorders in recent years; however, the situation in restless legs syndrome (RLS) has not been studied yet. Methods Fifty patients with RLS not medicated for RLS and 50 sex‐ and age‐matched, healthy controls and controls with no pathology except mild iron deficiency or iron deficiency anaemia were enrolled. Patients with secondary RLS other than iron deficiency were excluded. Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI), arylesterase (ARE), paraoxonase (PON), stimulated paraoxonase (stim‐PON), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOHs), acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) and butyryl cholinesterase (BuChE) were measured. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis was performed. Results TOS, ARE and AChE were increased (P = 0·018, P