Frequency of Restless Legs Syndrome among End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of restless leg syndrome among patients of end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Nephrology Department, Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore from 20^th October 2019 to 20^th April 2020.

Materials and Methods: One hundred and sixty patients on hemodialysis were enrolled. Patients were assessed for age, gender, body mass index, presence of hypertension, diabetes, anemia, and RLS as per operational definition.

Results: 98 (60.5%) were male patients and 64 (39.5%) were female patients, 37% were from the age group of
18-40 years, 35 patients (21.6%) were having an iron deficiency, 151(93.2%) were hypertensive, 59(36.4%) were diabetic, 45(27.8%) were on antipsychotic/antidepressant drugs and 21(13%) were using antihistamines. 85 patients (52.5%) were having RLS. Among 45 patients who were on antipsychotics/antidepressants, 31 (68.9%) were having RLS with statistical significance (p-value 0.009). Among 21 patients who were on antihistamines, 19(90.5%) were having RLS with a statistically significant p-value of 0.00018. Among iron deficient patients 35(21.6%), 16(45.7%) were having RLS and 19(54.3%) were not exhibiting RLS symptoms, showed no statistically significant difference (p-value 0.366).

Conclusion: The frequency of Restless Legs Syndrome is 52.5% among end-stage renal disease patients on maintenance hemodialysis.