Restless legs syndrome due to brainstem stroke: A systematic review

Abstract

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a sleep-related movement disorder, which can also result from brainstem pathology. A systematic review of articles published in the electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science was conducted to summarize the existent literature on RLS associated with a brainstem stroke. We identified eight articles including 19 subjects with RLS due to brainstem ischemic lesion. The symptoms occurred simultaneously with the infarction (66.7%) or few days after (33.3%). The most common location of infarction was pons and less commonly medulla. In most cases (68.4%), symptoms were unilateral. In the majority of those cases (92.3%), the contralateral limb was affected due to a lateral pons infarction. RLS symptoms after infarction improved or resolved in almost 90% of cases within a few days up to 3 months. In almost all patients who received dopaminergic treatment (11 out of 13, 91.7%), the symptoms improved significantly or resolved completely. Screening for RLS has to be considered in patients suffering a brainstem stroke, particularly anteromedial pontine infarction. The appearance of acute unilateral RLS symptoms, usually in association with other sensorimotor deficits, should prompt the clinician to consider a vascular event in the brainstem. RLS in these cases seem to have a favorable outcome and respond well to dopaminergic treatment.