Alto subdiagnóstico del síndrome de piernas inquietas en la consulta ambulatoria neurológica y psiquiátrica

Resumen

Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is one of the most prevalent neurologic conditions in Medicine. In the last decade, much attention has been focused on RLS, given its high occurrence, underdiagnosis, and impact on patient quality of life. There are only a few reports describing RLS occurrence in Latin America, and just one from Chile.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the current occurrence of RLS in a neurologic-psychiatric outpatient clinic. We chose this location because we hypothesized that even specialized physicians would have low awareness of this disorder.

Patients and Methods: We interviewed 238 patients using a standardized validated questionnaire, and an additional phone interview to confirm diagnosis. Results: We found that 15% of respondents were affected by RLS, none had been diagnosed before, and most had a severe form that probably required treatment.

Conclusion: In Chile, a low awareness of RLS exists, even among specialized physicians.