Blood pressure profile and endothelial function in restless legs syndrome

Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 4;9(1):15933. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-52401-4.

Abstract

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is frequently comorbid with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases; however this relationship and underlying mechanisms remain controversial. After clinical evaluation, 84 drug-free patients with primary RLS (53 women; mean age 55.1 ± 12.3 years) and 76 controls (47 women; mean age 52.2 ± 15.3 years) underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and polysomnographic monitoring, and peripheral arterial tonometry to assess endothelial function for 61 patients and 69 controls. Hypertension was diagnosed in 11.9% of patients with RLS based on office measurement, and in 46.4% on the 24 h recording, with nighttime hypertension, two times more frequent than daytime hypertension. Periodic limb movement during sleep (PLMS), markers of sleep fragmentation, and systolic and mean BP non-dipping profile were more frequent among patients. BP non-dipping status was associated with older age, later RLS onset and diagnosis, RLS severity and higher sleep fragmentation. The mean 24-hour, daytime and nighttime BP values, the frequency of hypertension and the endothelial function were comparable between groups. However, both systolic and diastolic BP trajectories over a 24-hour period differed between groups. In conclusion, patients with RLS exhibit a 24-hour BP deregulation with increased frequency of systolic non-dipping profiles that could worsen the risk for CVD morbidity and mortality.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Blood Pressure / physiology*
  • Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Hypertension / diagnosis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polysomnography
  • Restless Legs Syndrome / complications
  • Restless Legs Syndrome / pathology*
  • Risk Factors
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sleep Deprivation