The correlation between RLS and motor or other non-motor symptoms of PD patients: an observational study

Numerous studies have demonstrated restless legs syndrome (RLS) might worsen motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). However, research into the effects of concurrent RLS on the function of the autonomic nervous system remains limited. Our study particularly focused on its effects on the autonomic nervous system. From October 2022 to February 2025, 392 patients with PD were continuously included in our study. PD patients were categorized into those with RLS and those without RLS, based on the criteria established by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG). A variety of questionnaires were utilized to evaluate the severity of symptoms in PD patients, including the King’s Parkinson’s Disease Pain Scale (KPPS), Parkinson’s Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS), and the Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease for Autonomic Dysfunction (SCOPA-AUT), among others. Our research included 98 patients (25.0%) who met the IRLSSG diagnostic criteria for RLS. The concurrent RLS in PD patients was significantly related to KPPS scores KPPS scores [OR = 1.049, 95%CI:1.007–1.093, P = 0.021], thermoregulatory subscores [OR = 1.275, 95%CI:1.007–1.615, P = 0.044] and PDSS scores [OR = 0.978, 95%CI:0.963–0.993, P = 0.004]. Moreover, the Restless Leg Syndrome Rating Scale (RLSRS) scores in PD with RLS group were positively associated with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores [β = 0.312, 95%CI:0.031–0.683, P = 0.032]. 1.PD patients experiencing more severe pain symptoms, more severe sleep disorders, and more severe dysfunction of the thermoregulatory system were at a higher risk of developing RLS. Among these factors, pain score was the most effective predictor of concurrent RLS. 2. PD patients with RLS who had poorer sleep quality tended to have a more severe RLS.