Is Antipsychotic Intake a Risk Factor for the Restless Legs Syndrome?

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 27(1); 2009 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2009;27(1): 49-53.

항정신병제의 복용은 하지불안증후군의 위험 요소인가?

남현우, 조진환 홍윤호 권형민 차정인 정희연a

서울대학교 의과대학 보라매병원 신경과, 정신과a

Is Antipsychotic Intake a Risk Factor for the Restless Legs Syndrome?

Hyunwoo Nam

Departments of Neurology and Psychiatrya, Boramae Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Background: Restless-legs syndrome (RLS) is known to be caused by dopaminergic hypofunction in the brain. We investigated whether antipsychotics that act as antidopaminergics increase the risk of RLS.
Methods: We prospectively recruited 72 schizophrenic patients who had been medicated with antipsychotic drugs in a psychiatry clinic. We evaluated RLS diagnostic criteria and basic sleep habits using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index by face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. We also applied the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale to evaluate extrapyramidal symptoms.
Results: Three of the 72 patients (4.2%) met RLS criteria, which is similar to the previously reported RLS incidence among the general population in Korea.
Conclusions: There is no evidence that antipsychotics increase the risk of RLS. We believe that the mild antidopaminergic effect of antipsychotics does not overwhelm their prominent antipsychotic effect. Key Words: Antipsychotic, Schizophrenia, Restless-legs syndrome, Dopaminergic system

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