Restless legs syndrome epidemiology and demographics
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mohamadmostafa Jahansouz M.D.[2]
Overview
Epidemiology and Demographics
Prevalence
In community-based epidemiological surveys, RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) has been studied as:[1]
- A symptom only
- In this kind of symptoms ,prevalence estimates in the general adult population ranged from 9400 to 1500 per 100,000 individuals worldwide.
- A set of symptoms meeting minimal diagnostic criteria of the IRLSSG
- In this kind of symptoms ,prevalence estimates in the general adult population ranged from 3900 to 1400 per 100,000 individuals worldwide.
- When frequency/severity is added, prevalence ranged from 2.2% to 7.9% and when differential diagnosis is applied prevalence estimates are between 1.9% and 4.6%. In all instances, RLS prevalence is higher in women than in men.
Age
- The incidence of RLS increases with age.[2]
Race
- RLS usually affects individuals of the non-African American race. African American race individuals are less likely to develop RLS.[3]
Gender
- Women are more commonly affected by RLS than men.[1] The women to men ratio is approximately 2 to 1.[2]
Region
- The worldwide prevalence of RLS is not clear, however, it appears that Asian countries have a lower prevalence of RLS than European and North American countries.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ohayon MM, O’Hara R, Vitiello MV (2012). “Epidemiology of restless legs syndrome: a synthesis of the literature”. Sleep Med Rev. 16 (4): 283–95. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2011.05.002. PMC 3204316. PMID 21795081.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Berger K, Luedemann J, Trenkwalder C, John U, Kessler C (2004). “Sex and the risk of restless legs syndrome in the general population”. Arch Intern Med. 164 (2): 196–202. doi:10.1001/archinte.164.2.196. PMID 14744844.
- ↑ Alkhazna A, Saeed A, Rashidzada W, Romaker AM (2014). “Racial differences in the prevalence of restless legs syndrome in a primary care setting”. Hosp Pract (1995). 42 (3): 131–7. doi:10.3810/hp.2014.08.1127. PMID 25255415.
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