Open Access Clinical Significance of Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) in Insomnia Patients (original) (raw)

Abstract: While periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) in some studies has been linked with a range of negative con-sequences, others have questioned the validity of the diagnosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance of co-morbid PLMD in terms of daytime impairment in insomnia patients when defined in accordance with the new diagnostic criteria. 64 older adults complaining of insomnia (mean age = 61.9) were included in the study, and as-sessed with polysomnography, a sleep diary, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and a computerized vigilance test. In all, 28 patients had a PLM-index above 15 on at least one polysomnography registration; while the remaining 36 participants served as comparison group (comprising insomniacs patients without co-morbid PLMD). Adjusting for the potential con-founding effects of demographics, apnea/hypopneas and symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS), we found no signifi-cant associations between PLMD and daytime sleepin...