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Dear Judith, I am so glad you brought up this most troublesome and at times, most nerve-racking problem, sometimes worse than some PD syptoms themselves. This is a major problem in my life... And I thank you for this ueful information. 43 yrs. dx last december thanks agian your friend Karen Bastian judith richards wrote: > I don't think this new news, however... > > Parkinson's drug eases ``restless leg syndrome'' > > NEW YORK, Apr 06, 1999 (Reuters Health) -- The drug pramipexole, used to > treat patients with Parkinson's disease, is also highly effective in > treating restless leg syndrome (RLS), according to researchers. > > ``Pramipexole is the most potent therapeutic agent ever tested for > RLS,'' write an international team of researchers led by Dr. Jacques > Montplaisir of the Sleep Studies Center at the Hopital du Sacr-Coeur de > Montreal in Quebec, Canada. Their findings were published in the journal > Neurology. > > RLS is characterized by recurrent tingling, burning sensations in the > lower limbs and an irresistible urge -- especially when at rest -- to > move the legs. The syndrome can cause chronic sleep deprivation and > resultant fatigue. > > Experts have recently linked the illness with reduced activity of the > neurochemical dopamine within the brain. Reduced levels of dopamine in > the brain causes another more serious neuromotor disorder -- Parkinson's > disease. > > In their study, Montplaisir's team had 10 RLS patients receive > pramipexole or (an inactive) placebo over two 4-week periods. > Pramipexole, which mimics the effects of dopamine, has already proven > effective in reducing the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. > > The authors report that ``nine out of the 10 patients in this study > reported a complete disappearance of RLS symptoms with pramipexole.'' > The tenth patient also reported ``a major improvement of symptoms,'' > according to the investigators. > > Most patients experienced mild and short-term (1 week) gastrointestinal > side effects related to use of the drug, including nausea and vomiting. > > Based on their findings, the researchers conclude that pramipexole > therapy represents a powerful new method of controlling RLS symptoms. > > In a related study in the same issue of Neurology, German researchers > tested the effectiveness of 4 weeks of another dopamine-related drug, > pergolide, in a group of 30 RLS patients. They report that the drug > appears to be ``a well-tolerated and effective treatment of (restless > leg) symptoms and sleep disturbances in patients with primary > RLS.'' > > In their commentary on the findings of both studies, Dr. Sudhansu > Chokroverty of Saint Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in New York > City, and Dr. Joseph Jankovic of the Baylor College of Medicine in > Houston, Texas, note that RLS too often goes undetected and untreated. > > ``Persons with RLS, even when their symptoms are quite troublesome or > disabling, often do not seek medical attention,'' they point out, ``or > the symptoms are wrongly attributed by physicians to nervousness, > insomnia, stress'' or other conditions. > > The two experts believe that both patients and physicians need to > recognize RLS as a distinct physical disorder. They believe that more > studies with larger numbers of participants are also needed ``to find > the best treatments for these patients.'' > > SOURCE: Neurology 1999;52:907-910, 938-943, 944-950. > Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited > -- > Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada > <[log in to unmask]> > ^^^ > \ / > \ | / Today’s Research > \\ | // ...Tomorrow’s Cure > \ | / > \|/ > ```````