Abstract
Context: Sleep disturbances are frequent in cancer patients during chemotherapy; the contributory role of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in this setting has never been assessed. Objectives: This study investigated the role of RLS in causing sleep disturbances and altering the quality of life in cancer patients during chemotherapy. Methods: Evaluation tools included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the RLS questionnaires, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for quality of life and anxiety/depression assessment. The study population was 173 cancer patients. The questionnaires were administered during the third chemotherapy cycle. Patients positive for RLS were reassessed six months after the end of chemotherapy. Results: In all, 58.8% of patients reported experiencing sleep disturbances (PSQI ≥ 5) and 20% screened positive for RLS. Neither sleep disturbances nor RLS was associated with anemia, neurotoxic cytotoxic drugs, or benzamide treatment. A direct relationship was found between the PSQI and RLS (P = 0.007); both PSQI and RLS scores were significantly associated with poor quality of life (P = 0.008 and 0.01, respectively) and anxiety (P = 0.0001 and 0.01, respectively). PSQI score also was associated with depression (P = 0.0001). RLS persisted in four of the 25 RLS-positive patients reassessed at six months after chemotherapy. RLS recovery was associated with a significant reduction in sleep disturbances and improvement in quality of life. Conclusion: RLS can be a contributory factor in sleep disturbances in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Screening for RLS could aid in tailoring a potentially more efficacious treatment of such disturbances.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 56-64 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Pain and Symptom Management |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2013 |
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Keywords
- anxiety
- Cancer
- chemotherapy
- depression
- quality of life
- restless legs syndrome
- sleep disturbances
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
- Clinical Neurology
- Nursing(all)
Cite this
Restless legs syndrome as a cause of sleep disturbances in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. / Saini, Andrea; Berruti, Alfredo; Ferini-Strambi, Luigi; Castronovo, Vincenza; Rametti, Elena; Giuliano, Piero Luigi; Ramassotto, Barbara; Picci, Rocco Luigi; Negro, Manuela; Campagna, Sara; Furlan, Pier Maria; Ostacoli, Luca.
In: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, Vol. 46, No. 1, 07.2013, p. 56-64.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Restless legs syndrome as a cause of sleep disturbances in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy
AU - Saini, Andrea
AU - Berruti, Alfredo
AU - Ferini-Strambi, Luigi
AU - Castronovo, Vincenza
AU - Rametti, Elena
AU - Giuliano, Piero Luigi
AU - Ramassotto, Barbara
AU - Picci, Rocco Luigi
AU - Negro, Manuela
AU - Campagna, Sara
AU - Furlan, Pier Maria
AU - Ostacoli, Luca
PY - 2013/7
Y1 - 2013/7
N2 - Context: Sleep disturbances are frequent in cancer patients during chemotherapy; the contributory role of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in this setting has never been assessed. Objectives: This study investigated the role of RLS in causing sleep disturbances and altering the quality of life in cancer patients during chemotherapy. Methods: Evaluation tools included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the RLS questionnaires, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for quality of life and anxiety/depression assessment. The study population was 173 cancer patients. The questionnaires were administered during the third chemotherapy cycle. Patients positive for RLS were reassessed six months after the end of chemotherapy. Results: In all, 58.8% of patients reported experiencing sleep disturbances (PSQI ≥ 5) and 20% screened positive for RLS. Neither sleep disturbances nor RLS was associated with anemia, neurotoxic cytotoxic drugs, or benzamide treatment. A direct relationship was found between the PSQI and RLS (P = 0.007); both PSQI and RLS scores were significantly associated with poor quality of life (P = 0.008 and 0.01, respectively) and anxiety (P = 0.0001 and 0.01, respectively). PSQI score also was associated with depression (P = 0.0001). RLS persisted in four of the 25 RLS-positive patients reassessed at six months after chemotherapy. RLS recovery was associated with a significant reduction in sleep disturbances and improvement in quality of life. Conclusion: RLS can be a contributory factor in sleep disturbances in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Screening for RLS could aid in tailoring a potentially more efficacious treatment of such disturbances.
AB - Context: Sleep disturbances are frequent in cancer patients during chemotherapy; the contributory role of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in this setting has never been assessed. Objectives: This study investigated the role of RLS in causing sleep disturbances and altering the quality of life in cancer patients during chemotherapy. Methods: Evaluation tools included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the RLS questionnaires, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for quality of life and anxiety/depression assessment. The study population was 173 cancer patients. The questionnaires were administered during the third chemotherapy cycle. Patients positive for RLS were reassessed six months after the end of chemotherapy. Results: In all, 58.8% of patients reported experiencing sleep disturbances (PSQI ≥ 5) and 20% screened positive for RLS. Neither sleep disturbances nor RLS was associated with anemia, neurotoxic cytotoxic drugs, or benzamide treatment. A direct relationship was found between the PSQI and RLS (P = 0.007); both PSQI and RLS scores were significantly associated with poor quality of life (P = 0.008 and 0.01, respectively) and anxiety (P = 0.0001 and 0.01, respectively). PSQI score also was associated with depression (P = 0.0001). RLS persisted in four of the 25 RLS-positive patients reassessed at six months after chemotherapy. RLS recovery was associated with a significant reduction in sleep disturbances and improvement in quality of life. Conclusion: RLS can be a contributory factor in sleep disturbances in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Screening for RLS could aid in tailoring a potentially more efficacious treatment of such disturbances.
KW - anxiety
KW - Cancer
KW - chemotherapy
KW - depression
KW - quality of life
KW - restless legs syndrome
KW - sleep disturbances
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84880304437&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84880304437&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2012.06.018
DO - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2012.06.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 23116590
AN - SCOPUS:84880304437
VL - 46
SP - 56
EP - 64
JO - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
JF - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
SN - 0885-3924
IS - 1
ER -