People with restless legs syndrome (RLS) experienced an increase in symptom severity in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US in 2020, noted a study. However, this increase declined by 2021.

Investigators assessed data from 500 participants in the National Restless Legs Syndrome Opioid Registry. Participants reported RLS symptom severity prior to and during the pandemic at 6-month intervals. Responses were obtained from early phase of the pandemic in January-February 2020, then in April-May 2020, 6 months later from September 2020 to February 2021, and then 1 year later, from March 2021 through June 2021. A total of 153 participants completed surveys during January and February 2020, and 155 during April and May 2020. A between-subjects analysis for these time periods revealed significantly higher symptom scores on the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group severity scale (IRLS) in January-February 2020. Participants had around double the likelihood of having IRLS scores of 20 or higher compared to April-May 2020 (37.7% vs. 20.9%). Responses from the same participants were compared at baseline and 6 months later, from September 2020 through February 2021, and from March 2021 through June 2021. A within-subjects analysis revealed that 51.3% of the participants reported increased IRLS scores in spring 2020. Participants had a significantly higher likelihood of having IRLS scores of 20 or above in the early pandemic period in April and May 2020 compared to baseline (37.7% vs. 26.6%). Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and General Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7) scores were higher during early period of the pandemic in April and May 2020 compared to baseline.

Participants who completed surveys in January and February 2020 did not report an increase in RLS severity or other mental health questionnaire values on the six-month surveys completed during the pandemic or 1 year later.

The results are published in Sleep Medicine… (Medscape)