Risk Factors and Treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome in Adults

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common clinical entity consisting of an uncomfortable sensation in one’s legs and irresistible urge or desire to move them usually occurring in the evening. This syndrome has been sub optimally diagnosed in the past and remains overall misunderstood and under-recognized by many primary health care providers. However, RLS is increasingly recognized to cause significant disease burden and decreased quality of life (Kushida C et al., 2007). The initial modern clinical description was published by Ekbom in 1945 but was largely ignored until the late 1980s when there was a resurgence of interest in RLS (Walters AS & Hening W, 1987). Because of ongoing clinical confusion and the need for more clear epidemiologic assessment, a research group was organized in 1995 and the original IRLSSG criteria were developed (Walters AS, et al., 1995). In 2003, the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) issued revised guidelines to assist in clinical diagnosis and research of RLS (Allen RP et al., 2003).