RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME IN COPD PATIENTS WITHOUT ACCOMPANYING DISEASE

Objective: Sleep problems, which may also affect mortality, frequently occur in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, but few studies have addressed sleep problems due to the restless legs syndrome (RLS). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and severity of RLS and associated clinical and laboratory parameters in COPD patients without accompanying disease. Material and Methods: Fifty male COPD patients without accompanying disease and 20 male controls were enrolled to the study. RLS and RLS severity were assessed with a standard international questionnaire. Clinical and laboratory parameters which may be associated with RLS were investigated in COPD patients. Results: No statistically significant difference was found in the prevalence (COPD: 24%, controls: 10%) and severity of RLS. RLS family history was reported in 16% of COPD patients. No significant association existed between presence and severity of RLS and clinical and laboratory parameters. H A higher proportion of inhaled anticholinergic therapy was reported in COPD patients with RLS (11/12 vs 22/38; p 0.05). Conclusion: To our knowledge this is the first study which investigated the prevalence of RLS in COPD patients without accompanying disease and found an association between RLS and inhaled anticholinergic therapy. The major limitations were small sample size and lack of female patients. Large scale prospective studies would help to elicit these findings.