A survey-based approach on restless legs syndrome: practices and perspectives among Italian neurologists.

Education Neurologists Restless legs syndrome Sensorimotor disorder Survey

Journal

Journal of neurology
ISSN: 1432-1459
Titre abrégé: J Neurol
Pays: Germany
ID NLM: 0423161

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
12 Apr 2024
Historique:
received: 19 02 2024
accepted: 26 03 2024
revised: 25 03 2024
medline: 12 4 2024
pubmed: 12 4 2024
entrez: 12 4 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a widely prevalent and complex neurological disorder. Despite notable advancements in managing RLS, the disorder continues to face challenges related to its recognition and management. This study seeks to gain comprehensive insights into the knowledge and clinical practices among Italian neurologists regarding RLS diagnosis, management, and treatment, comparing approaches among general neurologists, movement disorder specialists, and sleep experts. Members of the Italian Society of Neurology, the Italian Society of Parkinson and Movement Disorders, and the Italian Association of Sleep Medicine were invited to participate in a 19-question online survey. Among the 343 surveyed neurologists, 60% categorized RLS as a "sleep-related movement disorder." Forty% indicated managing 5-15 RLS patients annually, with sleep specialists handling the highest patient volume. Of note, only 34% adhered strictly to all five essential diagnostic criteria. The majority (69%) favored low-dosage dopamine agonists as their first-line treatment, with movement disorder specialists predominantly endorsing this approach, while sleep experts preferred iron supplementation. Regular screening for iron levels was widespread (91%), with supplementation typically guided by serum iron alterations. In cases of ineffective initial treatments, escalating dopamine agonist dosage was the preferred strategy (40%). These findings underscore a lack of a clear conceptualization of RLS, with a widespread misconception of the disorder as solely a movement disorder significantly influencing treatment approaches. Disparities in RLS understanding across neurology subspecialties underscore the necessity for improved diagnostic accuracy, targeted educational initiatives, and management guidelines to ensure consistent and effective RLS management.

Identifiants

pubmed: 38607430
doi: 10.1007/s00415-024-12356-7
pii: 10.1007/s00415-024-12356-7
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Informations de copyright

© 2024. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

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Auteurs

Elena Antelmi (E)

Neurology Unit, Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Division, AOUI, Verona, Italy. elenaantelmi@gmail.com.
DIMI Department of Engineering and Medicine of Innovation, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. elenaantelmi@gmail.com.

Gloria Pompea Mingolla (GP)

Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Maria Paola Mogavero (MP)

Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Division of Neuroscience, Sleep Disorders Center, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.

Raffaele Ferri (R)

Clinical Neurophysiology Research Unit, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.

Giuseppe Lanza (G)

Clinical Neurophysiology Research Unit, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Department of Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.

Francesca Morgante (F)

Neuroscience and Cell Biology Institute, Neuromodulation and Motor Control Section, St George's University of London, London, UK.

Chiara Bonetto (C)

Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Antonella Conte (A)

Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy.

Luigi Ferini-Strambi (L)

Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Division of Neuroscience, Sleep Disorders Center, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.

Giuseppe Plazzi (G)

IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna (ISNB), Bologna, Italy.
Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.

Alfredo Berardelli (A)

Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy.

Michele Tinazzi (M)

Neurology Unit, Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Division, AOUI, Verona, Italy.
Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Classifications MeSH