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Association between restless legs syndrome and migraine: a population-based study
Stefano Zanigni1, Giulia Giannini, Roberto Melotti
1Center for Biomedicine, European Academy Bozen/Bolzano (EURAC) (Affiliated Institute of the University of Lübeck), Bozen/Bolzano, Italy.
European Journal of Neurology
|May 21, 2014
Summary
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is more common in people with migraine, even after accounting for other factors. This suggests a potential shared cause for both conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Epidemiology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Previous studies indicated a higher prevalence of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) in migraine patients, primarily from clinical samples.
- General population-based studies investigating the migraine-RLS association were lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between migraine and RLS in a rural Italian adult population.
- To provide population-based data on the comorbidity of migraine and RLS.
Main Methods:
- A population-based study was conducted in South Tyrol, Italy, involving 1567 adult participants.
- Migraine and RLS diagnoses were confirmed using computer-assisted personal interviews and self-administered questionnaires based on current diagnostic criteria.
Main Results:
- Migraineurs exhibited an increased risk of RLS (OR 1.79; 95% CI 1.00-3.19; P = 0.049), even after adjusting for age, sex, depression, anxiety, and sleep quality.
- The association between migraine and RLS was not influenced by aura status or secondary RLS causes.
- No significant association was found between RLS and tension-type headache.
Conclusions:
- A significant association exists between Restless Legs Syndrome and migraine in the studied rural adult population.
- The findings suggest a potential shared pathogenic pathway underlying both conditions.
- This association may inform new management strategies for patients with co-occurring migraine and RLS.
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