Restless Leg Syndrome and Liver Cirrhosis: is it common?

Abstract

Background: Restlessness is quite common in cirrhosis patients.
Objective: To determine the frequency of restless leg syndrome in cases presenting with liver cirrhosis.
Methodology: Cross-sectional study, Settings: Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan. Duration: 1st July 2018 to 31st December 2018. In this study, the cases of age more than 30 years irrespective of the gender and cause of liver cirrhosis were selected. Liver cirrhosis was labelled on the presence of hepatic parenchymal change on USG, its size less than 12 cm with or without portal vein dilatation more than 10 mm diagnosed for at least 1 or more years. Restless leg syndrome was assessed as present or not on the basis of John Hopkins Questionnaire date was analyzed by using SPSS 23.
Results: In the present study, 300 cases with liver cirrhosis with mean age of the subjects, 47.39±7.67 years. Restless leg syndrome was seen in 84 (28%) of the cases. This was seen in 47 (31.97%) males and 37 (32.74%) females with p 1.0. Restless leg syndrome was seen in 44 (36.67%) cases with duration of cirrhosis of 5 years or more with p=0.16. It was more seen in cases with child pugh class C affecting 52 (31.90%) as compared to 32 (23.36%) cases in class B with p=0.31.
Conclusion: Restless leg syndrome is common and seen in almost every 4 case and is found higher in cases with cirrhosis of 3 or more years and in cases with child pugh class C.