Assessing health-related quality of life in patients with restless legs syndrome

Happe, Svenja; Reese, Jens Peter; Stiasny-Kolster, Karin; Peglau, Ines; Mayer, Geert; Klotsche, Jens; Giani, Guido; Geraedts, Max; Trenkwalder, Claudia; Dodel, Richard

doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2008.01.002

« Previous Next »Sleep Medicine
Volume 10, Issue 3 , Pages 295-305, March 2009

Assessing health-related quality of life in patients with restless legs syndrome

Svenja Happe
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Klinikum Bremen-Ost, Bremen, Germany
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Göttingen, Germany
- Both authors contributed equally.
Jens Peter Reese
- Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany
- Both authors contributed equally.
Karin Stiasny-Kolster
- Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany
Ines Peglau
- Private Neurological Practice, Berlin
Geert Mayer
- Department of Neurology, Hephata Klinik, Schwalmstadt-Treysa, Germany
Jens Klotsche
- Department of Clinicial Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technical University Dresden, Germany
Guido Giani
- Department of Biometrics and Epidemiology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
Max Geraedts
- School of Public Health, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
Claudia Trenkwalder
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Göttingen, Germany
- Paracelsus-Elena-Klinik, Kassel, Germany
Richard Dodel
- Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 6421 2866251; fax: +49 6421 2868955.

Received 13 July 2007; received in revised form 28 December 2007; accepted 5 January 2008.

Abstract

Background

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) has a substantial impact on normal daily activities. Because of the high prevalence it is necessary to evaluate the impact on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Objective

To assess health-related quality of life in patients with RLS.

Methods

A total of 519 patients (327 female patients; mean age: 64.2 y) were recruited in five different German centers according to the diagnostic criteria of the International RLS Study Group. Patients were either interviewed or completed a mailed questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of an evaluation of the sociodemographic, clinical and health-related status. HRQoL was evaluated with the EuroQoL (EQ-5D). In addition, the IRLS scale, the MOS Sleep Scale, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the BDI were applied as clinical rating scales.

Results

HRQoL is substantially affected by RLS. The mean EQ-5D-VAS was 55.6 and considerably lower compared to the general population. It was found to be as low as in other chronic neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and stroke. From different factors investigated by uni- and multivariate analyses, severity of RLS and depressive symptoms had the most significant impact on HRQoL. Additionally, sleep deficits, the duration of the disease and net household income were identified as predictors for different EQ-5D outcome scores.

Conclusions

RLS considerably affects HRQoL. Further comparative studies are necessary to evaluate the effect of disease symptoms on HRQoL and their change due to medication.

Keywords: Restless legs syndrome, Quality of life, Depression, Life satisfaction, Outcome, EQ-5D