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Pregabalin in restless legs syndrome with and without neuropathic pain
Author(s) -
Sommer M.,
Bachmann C. G.,
Liebetanz K. M.,
Schindehütte J.,
Tings T.,
Paulus W.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2007.00796.x
Subject(s) - pregabalin , restless legs syndrome , medicine , neuropathic pain , anesthesia , placebo , physical therapy , neurology , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology
Background – Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common neurological disorder complicated in many patients by augmentation to dopaminergic therapy or comorbidities such as neuropathic pain. Aims – To explore the effectiveness of pregabalin in RLS in a pragmatic clinical setting. Methods – After observing improvement of restless legs symptoms in seven patients treated with pregabalin for neuropathic pain, we extended the clinical observation to a total of 16 patients with secondary RLS, in most of them due to neuropathy, and to three patients with idiopathic RLS. Results – Three patients discontinued pregabalin because of side effects (rash, fatigue, loss of efficacy). The other 16 patients self‐rated a satisfactory or good alleviation of RLS symptoms and maintained pregabalin, five with add‐on medication, on a mean daily dose of 305 mg (standard deviation, 185 mg), and with a mean duration of 217 (standard deviation, 183) days. Conclusion – These data propose pregabalin as a new option in the treatment of secondary RLS for patients with neuropathic pain, which should be further investigated with randomized, placebo‐controlled trials.