Frequency of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant and non-pregnant women suffering from restless legs syndrome

ABSTRACT

Objectives. Restless Legs Syndrome is a movement disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs described as a burning, tingling, etc. Symptoms become worse in the evening and are relieved by moving the limbs. The idiopathic form of the disease is associated with a lack of dopamine, and the secondary form is associated with iron deficiency anemia, pregnancy, and kidney disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women and non-pregnant women suffering from RLS.

Methods. The study was conducted on a sample of 231 pregnant women aged 18–50. The pregnant women were interviewed at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics. This study also included a control group of 231 age-compatible non-pregnant women. Women who met the international criteria for diagnosing the syndrome filled in a sociodemographic questionnaire.

Results. A statistically significant association between the existence of iron deficiency anemia and RLS in the sample of the examined women was proven (p < 0.001). It was also shown that RLS is more frequent in a sample of anemic pregnant women than non-anemic pregnant women (p = 0.008).

Conclusion. Iron deficiency anemia is related with RLS. Pregnant women with RLS are more likely to be anemic than pregnant women without RLS.

KEYWORDS:

• Restless Legs Syndrome
• iron deficiency
• anemia
• pregnant women
• non-pregnant women

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the patients who volunteered and participated in this study as well as all the staff of the University Hospital Centre Zagreb for their cooperation and valuable help during the course of the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Srđana Telarović, neurologist, primarius is employed at the School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, and at the Department of Neurology, Movement Disorders Unit, University Hospital Center Zagreb. Her area of expert, scientifical and educational work are extrapyramidal diseases, from which are the master's thesis “The effect of atypical neuroleptic clozapine on resistant tremor in Parkinson's disease” and Ph.D. thesis “The long-term safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin Type A in the treatment of focal dystonia.". She has published a number of different publications and has been invited lecturer at numerous domestic and international conferences.

Lucija Čondić is a graduate of University of Zagreb, School of Medicine. She is waiting for her internship to start. Her clinical interests include neurology and gynecology.

ORCID

Srdjana Telarović http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1287-6144

Lucija Čondić http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7819-236X