The frequency of restless legs syndrome in the population of pregnant women and quality of life

UVOD: Sindrom nemirnih nogu je poremećaj karakteriziran neugodnim senzacijama u nogama koje se opisuju kao žarenje, mravinjanje itd. Simptomi se pogoršavaju u večernjim satima, a ublažavaju s pokretanjem ekstremiteta. Idiopatski oblik bolesti povezuje se s manjkom dopamina, a sekundarni oblik s trudnoćom, bubrežnim bolestima i sideropeničnom anemijom. Istraživanja su pokazala veću učestalost sindroma u ženskoj populaciji te u populaciji trudnica. ----- CILJ: Ispitati učestalost sindroma nemirnih nogu u trudničkoj populaciji i kod dobno sukladnih netrudnih žena te kroz prikaz narušene kvalitete života podići svijest o ovom čestom i neprepoznatom sindromu. ----- ISPITANICI I METODE: Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 231 trudnih žena od 18 do 50 godina starosti. Trudne žene intervjuirane su u ambulanti Klinike za ženske bolesti i porode KBC Zagreb. U istraživanje je uključena i kontrolna skupina od 231 dobno sukladnih netrudnih žena. Žene koje su zadovoljile međunarodne kriterije za dijagnozu sindroma ispunile su sociodemografski upitnik i upitnik o kvaliteti života (RLSQOL). ----- ZAKLJUČAK: U uzorku ispitanih žena sindrom je statistički značajno (p = 0.0003) češći u trudnica nego u netrudnih žena. Oboljele trudnice imaju lošiju kvalitetu života od netrudnih oboljelih žena ( p = 0.002).INTRODUCTION: Restless legs syndrome is a disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs, such as burning, tingling, etc. Symptoms typically worsen in the evening and alleviate when limbs are moved. The idiopathic form of the illness is associated with a lack of dopamine and the secondary form is associated with pregnancy, renal diseases and sideropenic anemia. Studies have shown a higher incidence of the syndrome in women and in pregnant women when comapred to non-pregnant women. ----- AIM: To compare the prevalence of restless legs syndrome in pregnant women and in agematched nonpregnant women and to raise awareness of this common and unrecognized syndrome by displaying quality of life impairement in pregnant women. ----- PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on a sample of 231 pregnant women aged 18 to 50. Pregnant women were interviewed in the infirmary of the Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, UHC Zagreb. The study also included a control group of 231 age-matched nonpregnant women. Women who met the international criteria for the diagnosis of the syndrome were asked to fill a socio-demographic questionnaire and a questionnaire about quality of life (RLSQOL). ----- CONCLUSION: In the surveyed sample of women, the syndrome was found to be significantly (p=0.0003) more common in pregnant women than in nonpregnant women. Affected pregnant women additionally showed lower quality of life than affected nonpregnant women (p=0.002)