OBJECTIVE: Here, we aimed at investigating whether the treatment with antidepressants is associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and at determining the effects of mono or combined antidepressant therapy on the patients with RLS.
METHODS: Five hundred and fifty-five patients with RLS receiving mono or combined antidepressant therapy were included in the study group, and 555 individuals with no history of the use of antidepressants constituted the control group. The diagnosis of restless leg syndrome was performed using a questionnaire under the criteria formed by the International Restless Leg Syndrome Study Group.
RESULTS: Both the patients treated with antidepressants in the study group and those in the control group had similar demographic characteristics. The prevalence of RLS was detected as 9.2% (n = 51) in the study group treated with antidepressants and as 5.9% (n = 33) in the controls. The difference was statistically significant at borderline (p = 0.053). While restless leg syndrome was diagnosed merely in 9 (6.8%) of 133 patients receiving combined treatment, 42 (10%) of 422 patients receiving monotherapy were diagnosed with RLS, and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.306). The frequency of developing restless leg syndrome was found to be significant only in the use of escitalopram (p = 0.023), whereas it was found to have a tendency to significant in the use of duloxetine (p = 0.060). Among other participants receiving mono or combined treatment, no significant difference was observed.
CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of RLS can be seen as an adverse effect in the patients receiving mono or combined antidepressant treatment; however, the frequency of restless leg syndrome among those treated with antidepressants is similar to that seen in general population.