Improvement of periodic limb movements following kidney transplantation

Periodic limb movements are common in patients with end-stage renal disease. Kidney transplantation significantly improves renal function and may therefore reduce periodic limb movements. We evaluated the effect of kidney transplantation on periodic limb movements in a group of patients with end-stage renal disease.

Eighteen patients (aged 27-65) who were receiving dialysis and were candidates for living donor or deceased donor kidney transplantation (n = 12) or were predialysis with a suitable living donor arranged (n = 6) were recruited from the transplant clinic. Attended overnight polysomnography was performed before and after kidney transplantation. Patients were divided based on a periodic limb movement index >15 events/h during sleep.

Kidney transplantation was associated with a significant reduction in periodic limb movement index in all patients (8 (0-110) events/h vs. 2 (0-80) events/h) and this reduction was greatest in 7 patients with a periodic limb movement index >15 events/h (40 (24-110) events/h to 14 (1-80) events/h, p < 0.005).

Successful kidney transplantation improves periodic limb movements in patients with end-stage renal disease. This may improve sleep quality and sleep-related quality of life in kidney transplant recipients, which should have a beneficial impact on clinical outcomes.