Restless legs syndrome in psoriasis: an unexpected comorbidity

Background Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move them in order to gain relief. Higher frequencies of RLS have been reported in systemic lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and atopic dermatitis. Objectives Since the disease-related stress present in psoriasis is similar to the stress of those diseases, we aimed to study the frequency of RLS in a German cohort of patients with psoriasis. Methods 300 patients with psoriasis and 300 healthy controls were evaluated for RLS symptoms in this study. Results While 17% (n = 51) of patients with psoriasis reported symptoms of RLS, only 4% (n = 12) of individuals without psoriasis suffered from RLS symptoms (95% confidence interval: 0.08–0.18, p<0.01). In patients with psoriasis and RLS the average RLS score was 16.0 ± 9.2 whereas individuals with RLS in the control group had an average RLS score of 13.5 ± 7.1. Conclusions Our findings indicate an increased frequency of RLS in patients with psoriasis, suggesting screening patients with psoriasis for the presence of RLS as a well-treatable co-morbidity.