%0 Journal Article
%T Frequency of impulse control behaviours associated with dopaminergic therapy in restless legs syndrome
%A Valerie Voon
%A Andrea Schoerling
%A Sascha Wenzel
%A Vindhya Ekanayake
%A Julia Reiff
%A Claudia Trenkwalder
%A Friederike Sixel-D£¿ring
%J BMC Neurology
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2377-11-117
%X Several questionnaires based on validated and previously used instruments for assessment of ICBs were mailed out to patients being treated for RLS. Final diagnoses of ICBs were based on stringent diagnostic criteria after psychiatric interviews were performed.10/140 RLS patients of a clinical cohort (7.1%) were finally diagnosed with ICBs, 8 of 10 on dopamine agonist (DA) therapy, 2 of 10 on levodopa. 8 of the 10 affected patients showed more than one type of abnormal behaviour. Among those who responded to the questionnaires 6/140 [4.3%] revealed binge eating, 5/140 [3.6%] compulsive shopping, 3/140 [2.1%] pathological gambling, 3/140 [2.1%] punding, and 2/140 [1.4%] hypersexuality in psychiatric assessments. Among those who did not respond to questionnaires, 32 were randomly selected and interviewed: only 1 patient showed positive criteria of ICBs with compulsive shopping and binge eating. ICBs were associated with higher DA dose (p = 0.001), younger RLS onset (p = 0.04), history of experimental drug use (p = 0.002), female gender (p = 0.04) and a family history of gambling disorders (p = 0.02), which accounted for 52% of the risk variance.RLS patients treated with dopaminergic agents and dopamine agonists in particular, should be forewarned of potential side effects. A careful history of risk factors should be taken.An increasing awareness of restless legs syndrome (RLS) [1] has led to a higher number of patients being treated with dopaminergic agents. Although a dopaminergic deficit has not been demonstrated in RLS [2], it is believed that an imbalance of the diencephalo-spinal dopaminergic system exists [3] and that it interacts with the iron metabolism [4]. Low doses of dopamine agonists (DA) are effective for improving sleep disturbances, daytime symptoms and quality of life of RLS sufferers [5]. The DAs ropinirole, pramipexole and rotigotine transdermal patch are licensed for treating RLS in most European countries and--except for rotigotine--in the US. In G
%K Restless legs syndrome
%K impulse control disorders
%K dopamine agonist
%K gambling
%K levodopa
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/11/117