Prevalence of Restless Legs Syndrome among Psoriasis Patients and Association with Depression and Sleep Quality

Objective: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a chronic disorder characterized by an urge to move the legs. In the present study, we investigated the frequency of RLS in patients with psoriasis and tried to obtain the effects of RLS on sleep quality and psychiatric wellbeing. Methods: A total of 114 consecutive psoriasis patients (60 women and 54 men) and 67 control subjects who attended the Department of Dermatology and Venereology were enrolled in the study. A diagnosis of RLS was made according to the criteria of the International RLS Study Group (IRLSSG), and severity was assessed using the IRLSSG severity scale. Sixty-seven of 114 patients answered the Turkish version of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results: We found a higher frequency of RLS in psoriasis patients (11.4%) compared to healthy controls (6.0%), but this prevalence has not reached a statistical significance (p=0.23). Body mass index, BDI score, and bad sleep quality were significantly higher in psoriasis patients compared to healthy controls. Conclusion: Since presence of RLS worsens psoriasis patients’ already bad quality of life, we suggest screening of patients for the presence of RLS, and directing them to a rheumatologist can improve their quality of life