RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME AND RELATED FACTORS IN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS PATIENTS

Introduction: Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) mostly occurs in hemodialysis (HD) patients but there are limited studies about RLS frequency in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. In this study patients who were undergoing PD were screened for RLS and analy- zed for associated factors.

Material and methods: The study group was consisting of 69 PD patients and 43 healty controls. Beck Depression Inventory was used to analyse for the presence of depression. Sleep disorders were assessed with the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).

Results: Demographic characteristics of patients and the control group were similar. The rate of RLS tended to be higher in the PD group (p=0.075). There was no difference between PD and control groups in insomnia severity. Logistic regression analysis revea- led the only factor independently associated with RLS to be a higher ISI score (p=0.008). Logistic regression analysis revealed the only factor independently associated with at least sub-threshold insomnia as a higher depression score (p=0.002). Being in the PD group and presence of RLS also tended to be independently associated with at least sub-threshold insomnia (p=0.051 and p=0.099, respectively). Linear regression analysis revealed the presence of RLS and a higher depression score as factors independently associa- ted with a higher ISI score (p=0.002 and p=0.013, respectively).

Conclusion: The rate of RLS tended to be more common in patients under PD treatment. The main risk factor for the presence of RLS was insomnia. Main risk factors for increased insomnia severity were depression and RLS.