Restless Legs Syndrome, is a neurological disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to move one’s body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations. It most commonly affects the legs, but can affect the arms, torso and head. Moving the affected body part modulates the sensations, providing temporary relief.
A study published in Neurology titled “Prospective Study of Restless Legs Syndrome and Mortality Among Men” looked into the possibility of increased mortality risk in men with restless legs syndrome.
“This was a prospective cohort study of 18,425 US men free of diabetes, arthritis, and renal failure in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). In 2002, RLS was assessed using a set of standardized questions. Deaths were identified from state vital statistics records, the National Death Index, family reports, and the postal system.
Seven hundred subjects were diagnosed with RLS. The mortality rate in this segment was 25 percent compared to just 15 percent for those without RLS discovered after a follow-up after eight years.
The proponents led by Dr. Xiang Gao from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital located in Boston found out that men with RLS are 39 percent more likely to die earlier compared to those without RLS. The proponents noted that the statistics was still significant even after adjustments and after taking into consideration other health concerns of the subjects.
The study concluded that the higher mortality linked with RLS is independent of some known risk factors and frequently tied to immunologic disorders, metabolic disease, nutritional problems, respiratory disease, and endocrine disease.