Influence of Obesity Surgery on Restless Leg Syndrome

To investigate whether restless leg syndrome (RLS) symptoms improved and treatment requirement decreased through weight loss on postoperative follow-ups of the patients who underwent laparoscopic sleave gastrectomy (LSG) due to obesity and who were started medical therapy due to RLS.

A descriptive study.

General Surgery Outpatient Clinics of Research and Training Hospital of Medical School, Adiyaman, Turkey, from May 2014 to December 2017.

A total of 14 patients who underwent LSG due to morbid obesity and who received medical treatment due to RLS were retrospectively included in the study. The improvement of the symptoms and no need for medical treatment were considered as treatment or recovery criterion. Those who were not diagnosed with RLS before the operation or who did not receive medical treatment due to RLS were excluded.

The study subjects comprised 6 females (42.9%) and 8 males (57.1%). Mean BMI was 46.50 ±3.43 Kg/m² before LSG and 28.28 ±2.26 Kg/m² on months 12 after LSG. Mean BMI values 12 months after LSG were significantly reduced compared to preoperative BMI (p=0.001). Out of the 14 patients who had been receiving medical therapy before LSG, 12 patients (85.7%) had discontinued medical therapy 12 months after LSG. A statistically significant difference was detected between the number of the patients who were receiving medical therapy due to RLS on month 12 after LSG and the number of the patients who were receiving medical therapy before LSG (p=0.001).

Treatment requirements of morbid obese patients who were receiving medical therapy due to RLS significantly decreased through weight loss following RLS.