Prevalence of Restless Legs Syndrome During the 2019 Coronavirus Disease Pandemic in South Korea: A Nationwide Cross-sectional Population-based Study

Overview

Journal Front Neurol

Specialty Neurology

Date 2023 Jan 9

PMID 36619937

Authors

Jiyoung Kim

Kyung Wook Kang

Keun Tae Kim

Yong Won Cho

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been associated with a significant increase in sleep disorders. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of restless leg syndrome (RLS) and the effect of COVID-19 on RLS during the pandemic in Korea.

Methods: The National Sleep Survey of South Korea 2022 was employed in this study. This study was a large population-based web survey using a structural questionnaire of a four thousand representative sample of individuals aged 20-69 years in Korea. The survey was conducted between January 2022 and February 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. RLS was diagnosed using the Korean version of the paradigm of questions for epidemiological studies of RLS. Chronic persistent RLS was defined for individuals with RLS symptoms at least twice a week.

Results: Six hundred forty-nine (16.2%) and 172 (4.3%) patients were classified as having RLS and chronic persistent RLS, respectively. Female sex, being employed, the presence of COVID-19 vaccine-related adverse events, decreased sleep duration, the presence of EDS, and current treatment for insomnia were significantly associated with chronic persistent RLS.

Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of RLS and chronic persistent RLS in the adult Korean population was higher than that reported in previous studies.

Citing Articles

Association Between Electronic Device Use at Bedtime and COVID-19 Vaccine-Related Adverse Events During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Korean Adults: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study.

Kang K, Kim J, Kim K, Kim M, Cho Y J Korean Med Sci. 2023; 38(49):e413.

PMID: 38111283 PMC: 10727916. DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e413.

References

Lineberger M, Carney C, Edinger J, Means M . Defining insomnia: quantitative criteria for insomnia severity and frequency. Sleep. 2006; 29(4):479-85. DOI: 10.1093/sleep/29.4.479. View

Ohayon M, OHara R, Vitiello M . Epidemiology of restless legs syndrome: a synthesis of the literature. Sleep Med Rev. 2011; 16(4):283-95. PMC: 3204316. DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2011.05.002. View

Haugland B, Hysing M, Baste V, Wergeland G, Rapee R, Hoffart A . Sleep Duration and Insomnia in Adolescents Seeking Treatment for Anxiety in Primary Health Care. Front Psychol. 2021; 12:638879. PMC: 8024547. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.638879. View

Geers A, Clemens K, Faasse K, Colagiuri B, Webster R, Vase L . Psychosocial Factors Predict COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects. Psychother Psychosom. 2021; 91(2):136-138. PMC: 8678245. DOI: 10.1159/000519853. View

Wipper B, Romero-Gutierrez C, Winkelman J . Restless legs syndrome severity in the National RLS Opioid Registry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep Med. 2022; 90:96-101. PMC: 8783980. DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2022.01.011. View

Cho Y, Shin W, Yun C, Hong S, Kim J, Allen R . Epidemiology of restless legs syndrome in Korean adults. Sleep. 2008; 31(2):219-23. PMC: 2225579. DOI: 10.1093/sleep/31.2.219. View

Koo B . Restless Leg Syndrome Across the Globe: Epidemiology of the Restless Legs Syndrome/Willis-Ekbom Disease. Sleep Med Clin. 2015; 10(3):189-205, xi. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2015.05.004. View

Sunwoo J, Kim W, Chu M, Yang K . Association between Restless Legs Syndrome Symptoms and Self-Reported Hypertension: a Nationwide Questionnaire Study in Korea. J Korean Med Sci. 2019; 34(16):e130. PMC: 6484175. DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2019.34.e130. View

Tony A, Tony E, Ali S, EzzEldin A, Mahmoud A . COVID-19-associated sleep disorders: A case report. Neurobiol Sleep Circadian Rhythms. 2020; 9:100057. PMC: 7486182. DOI: 10.1016/j.nbscr.2020.100057. View

10.

Sevim S, Dogu O, Kaleagasi H, Aral M, Metin O, Camdeviren H . Correlation of anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with restless legs syndrome: a population based survey. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2004; 75(2):226-30. PMC: 1738920. View

11.

Manconi M, Garcia-Borreguero D, Schormair B, Videnovic A, Berger K, Ferri R . Restless legs syndrome. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2021; 7(1):80. DOI: 10.1038/s41572-021-00311-z. View

12.

Szentkiralyi A, Volzke H, Hoffmann W, Baune B, Berger K . The relationship between depressive symptoms and restless legs syndrome in two prospective cohort studies. Psychosom Med. 2013; 75(4):359-65. DOI: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e31828bbbf1. View

13.

Celle S, Roche F, Kerleroux J, Thomas-Anterion C, Laurent B, Rouch I . Prevalence and clinical correlates of restless legs syndrome in an elderly French population: the synapse study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2009; 65(2):167-73. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glp161. View

14.

Jahrami H, BaHammam A, Bragazzi N, Saif Z, Faris M, Vitiello M . Sleep problems during the COVID-19 pandemic by population: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020; 17(2):299-313. PMC: 7853219. DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.8930. View

15.

Kim W, Kim B, Kim S, Chang S, Lee D, Cho M . Prevalence of insomnia and associated factors in a community sample of elderly individuals in South Korea. Int Psychogeriatr. 2013; 25(10):1729-37. DOI: 10.1017/S1041610213000677. View

16.

Weinstock L, Brook J, Walters A, Goris A, Afrin L, Molderings G . Restless legs syndrome is associated with long-COVID in women. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022; 18(5):1413-1418. PMC: 9059584. DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.9898. View

17.

Ito H, Kuroki T, Horiuchi S, Shinya Y . A case of restless legs syndrome after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Neurol Clin Neurosci. 2022; 10(3):178-180. PMC: 9115277. DOI: 10.1111/ncn3.12594. View

18.

Cho Y, Lee J, Son H, Lee S, Shin C, Johns M . The reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Epworth sleepiness scale. Sleep Breath. 2010; 15(3):377-84. DOI: 10.1007/s11325-010-0343-6. View

19.

Allen R, Picchietti D, Garcia-Borreguero D, Ondo W, Walters A, Winkelman J . Restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease diagnostic criteria: updated International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) consensus criteria--history, rationale, description, and significance. Sleep Med. 2014; 15(8):860-73. DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2014.03.025. View

20.

Morin C, Bjorvatn B, Chung F, Holzinger B, Partinen M, Penzel T . Insomnia, anxiety, and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international collaborative study. Sleep Med. 2021; 87:38-45. PMC: 8425785. DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2021.07.035. View