PMID: 11902431Mar 21, 2002Paper

Associations between symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, restless legs, and periodic leg movements

Sleep
R D ChervinChristian Guilleminault

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has shown associations with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS) among small samples of referred children, but whether RLS or PLMS are common more generally among hyperactive children has not been well studied. Cross-sectional survey. Two university-affiliated but community-based general pediatrics clinics. N=866 children (469 boys), aged 2.0 to 13.9 years (mean 6.8+/-3.2 years), with clinic appointments. N/A. A validated Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire assessed for PLMS (a 6-item subscale), restless legs, growing pains, and several potential confounds of an association between behavior and PLMS or RLS. Parents also completed two common behavioral measures, a DSM-IV-derived inattention/hyperactivity scale (IHS) and the hyperactivity index (HI, expressed as a t-score) of the Conners' Parent Rating Scale. Restless legs were reported in 17% (95% C.I. [15, 20]) of the subjects. Positive HI scores (>60) were found in 13% [11, 16] of all subjects, 18% [12, 25] of children with restless legs, and 11% [9, 14] of children without restless legs (chi-square p<0.05). Odds ratios between HI>60 and each of the following were: a one-s.d. increase in the overa...Continue Reading

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