Restless_Leg_Syndrome

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a condition that some 10% of people in the United States have. Researchers have estimated that approximately 2%-3% of people have moderate-to-severe RLS. The main symptom is an irresistible urge to move the legs, often accompanied by “creepy-crawly” sensations in the legs. A research team from Penn State College of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins University searched for answers regarding restless legs syndrome. Led by James Connor, Ph.D., professor and interim chair, Department of Neuroscience and Anatomy, Penn State College of Medicine, the team performed the first-ever autopsy analysis of the brains of people with restless legs syndrome. The researchers revealed a possible cause of restless legs syndrome. The researchers study findings where no unique pathological changes in the brains of patients with RLS, it seems that cells in a portion of the mid-brain are not receiving enough iron. RLS can occur as a primary or secondary condition. Primary RLS seems to happen sporadically and for unknown reasons. Family history is reported by many patients with primary RLS, suggesting a genetic link to the disease. However, Secondary RLS occurs as a result of an underlying medical condition or because of certain medications. Examples include kidney failure, low levels of iron, anemia and, pregnancy. Because the involuntary jerking and flexing are sometimes treated with the same type of drugs as Parkinson’s, researchers have wondered if they’re related, as some reports have suggested. The new study found that RLS itself wasn’t liked with Parkinson’s. Instead, other types of leg restlessness, which happened during the daytime as well, were more common in people just starting to show Parkinson’s symptoms. A study included 200 Norwegians with recently diagnosed Parkinson’s, who weren’t on medication for the disease, and another 173 people of similar ages without Parkinson’s. The Norwegians was interviewed by neurologists and nurses about their sleep problems, including whether he or she had symptoms of RLS. General leg restlessness that didn’t qualify as RLS, however were reported by more than twice as many people with Parkinson’s disease as without. 13% of Parkinson’s patients had those symptoms, compared to less than six percent of the comparison group. Previous studies have suggested that RLS occurs up to five times as often in people Parkinson’s disease and could be linked to low dopamine levels. Drugs called dopamine agonists are sometimes prescribed for both RLS and Parkinson’s independently. The study is to strong, based on this small sample size. The study also didn’t take in account other aspects of health and lifestyle that may affect risk of RLS and Parkinson’s differently, including weight and, caffeine intake. CD is an ongoing disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive tract, also referred to as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. CD can affect any area of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus, but it most commonly affects the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum. CD has a variety of possible extra intestinal manifestations: arthritis, skin problems, kidney stones, gallstones, and liver diseases. This study is the first to show central nervous system (CNS) manifestations of CD. RLS is a condition in which a person experiences extreme leg discomfort while sitting or lying down. RLS may be primary or secondary to a number of disorders. Secondary RLS occurs in a variety of patient populations, including pregnant women and people with end-stage renal disease, iron-deficiency anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, or fibromyalgia. Because both CD and RLS are associated with iron deficiency, GI tract inflammation, and bacterial overgrowth, researchers designed the study to investigate the potential link between these two disorders. “Overall, RLS was found to be a common co-morbid condition in patients with CD,” stated Leonard B. Weinstock, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, and colleagues. “The incidence of RLS in patients with CD reported in this study was greater than the incidence of many of the known extra intestinal manifestations of CD.” A total of 272 patients with CD participated in the study, and researchers found a—43% incidence rate and 30% prevalence rate of RLS in patients with CD, compared with a nine percent prevalence rate in the control group. RLS symptoms occurred during or after the onset of CD symptoms in the majority of patients, suggesting a link between CD and RLS. Systemic disease symptoms of CD include malnutrition and anemia. Iron deficiency is the main cause of anemia in CD as a consequence of dietary restrictions, malabsorption, and intestinal bleeding. People at risk for iron deficiency are also at risk for RLS. The study showed that current systemic iron deficiency was not associated with RLS in patients with CD, but significantly more patients with CD and RLS reported a history of iron deficiency than those without RLS symptoms. Previous studies have demonstrated an association of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth with CD in the ileum. The results of this study suggest ileum involvement in patients with CD may be a risk factor for RLS. The researchers hypothesized that inflammation attributable to other systemic and GI-related disorders, such as CD, results in an iron deficiency in the CNS, causing RLS. Researchers hope the association of RLS with CD may lead to an understanding of fatigue and sleep disturbances associated with CD. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the potential impact that RLS has on the quality of life in patients with CD using the international RLS rating scale. In the conclusion, the studies that I have read, RLS is associated with CD and with Parkinson’s disease. The Hypothesis testing was practical and statistical significance of the results given. I have had RLS for the last 27 years and I have had the symptoms of CD and some of the time I believe I have some of the Parkinson’s disease. I wish researchers could find a cure for RLS. Reference: No Extra Restless Legs Syndrome in Parkinson’s, Reuters, November 2011, www.foxnews.com/health Crohn’s Disease Is Associated with Restless Legs Syndrome, Digestive Disease News Winter 2011, NIDDK, November 2011, www.nlm.nih.gov