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Dopamine agonists in restless leg syndrome treatment and their effects on sleep parameters: A systematic review and

Wei-Chih Yeh¹, Ying-Sheng Li², Yang-Pei Chang³

¹Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

|May 18, 2024

Abstract

Background:

Dopamine agonists (DAs) constitute the standard therapeutic scheme for restless leg syndrome (RLS) because they have been proven to be effective. However, DAs may change sleep parameters, thus having adverse effects on patient condition. This meta-analysis clarified the effects of DAs used in RLS treatment on the sleep architecture.

Methods:

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central databases were searched for randomized control trials (RCT) (up to October 2023) that discussed the effects of DAs on sleep architecture in patients with RLS. A meta-analysis employing a random-effects model was conducted. The patients were divided into subgroups according to individual DAs and treatment duration (1 day or ≥4 weeks).

Results:

Thirteen eligible randomized placebo-controlled trials were included in the assessment. The effects of three DAs (i.e., pramipexole, ropinirole, and rotigotine) on rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, slow-wave sleep (SWS), and sleep efficiency (SE) were analyzed. Overall, pramipexole significantly improved SE but decreased the percentage of REM sleep among treated patients. Ropinirole also enhanced SE compared with the placebo group. Rotigotine did not affect SE and REM sleep. Subgroup analysis found that pramipexole used for 1 day and ≥4 weeks significantly diminished the percentage of REM sleep. Ropinirole used for 1 day showed similar REM sleep patterns. Finally, none of the three DAs affected SWS.

Conclusions:

This meta-analysis demonstrated that DAs significantly affect sleep parameters.

Keywords:

Dopamine agonist Pramipexole Restless leg syndrome Ropinirole Rotigotine Sleep architecture

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