Table 1.
Comparisons of demographics, clinical variables and sleep characteristics in ASD chronic insomnia patients with and without RLS.
| Variable | RLS Negative | RLS Positive | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total n (%) | 62 (60.2) | 41 (39.8) | |
| Sex, male | 46 (74.2) | 36 (87.8) | .09 |
| Age, in yearsa | 8.2 ± 4.3 | 7.7 ± 3.6 | .58 |
| Clinical sleep disturbance | |||
| Onset problem | 16 (25.8) | 17 (41.4) | .095 |
| Maintenance problem | 15 (24.2) | 7 (17.0) | .388 |
| Both | 31 (50.0) | 17 (41.4) | .395 |
| Nocturnal motor complaint** | |||
| Presence of a motor complaint | 35 (56.4) | 41 (100) | ** |
| Presence of >2 motor complaintsb | 1 (1.6) | 6 (14.6) | ** |
| Absence of motor symptoms | 27 (43.5) | 0 | ** |
| Restless sleeper | 18 (29.0) | 14 (34.1) | ** |
| Leg complaint (any) | 2 (3.2) | 22 (53.6) | ** |
| Leg kicking | 2 (3.2) | 9 (21.9) | ** |
| Nocturnal pacing | 0 | 2 (4.8) | ** |
| Nocturnal walking | 1 (1.6) | 1 (2.4) | ** |
| Body rocking | 1 (1.6) | 5 (12.2) | ** |
| Head banging | 2 (3.2) | 1 (2.4) | ** |
| Need to rub legs/feet | 0 | 1 (2.4) | ** |
| Comorbid ADHD | 11 (17.7) | 6 (14.6) | .4 |
| Family history of RLS | 6 (9.6) | 7 (17.0) | .34 |
| Medication exposure | |||
| SSRI | 5 (8.06) | 6 (14.6) | .304 |
| Atypical Antipsychotic | 9 (14.5) | 4 (9.75) | .476 |
| Antihistamine | 4 (6.45) | 3 (7.31) | 1.0 |
| Mean Baseline Ferritina | 56.7 ± 17.59 | 29 ± 18.62 | <.0001* |
| PSG Data Available | 16 (25.8) | 22 (53.6) | |
| PLMS >5 on PSG | 0 | 17 (77) | |
| Mean PLMS on PSGa | 0.06 ± 0.174 | 8.12 ± 6.59 | <.0001* |
Although not shown in this table, ferritins significantly improved in the RLS group after treatment; paired t test: mean difference 23 ± 21.0, P < .0001.
P value < .05 level of significance. **Motor symptoms used by clinician to establish the diagnosis of RLS were excluded from statistical analysis. aContinuous variable expressed as mean ± standard deviation. bExcludes caregiver report of “restless sleep.” ADHD = attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, n = number of study patients, % = percentage, PLMS = periodic limb movements of sleep, PSG = polysomnogram, RLS = restless legs syndrome, SSRI = selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.