Late onset of restless legs syndrome as a methadone withdrawal symptom in cancer patients: Report of two cases

Abstract

Restless legs syndrome is a frequent sleep disturbance, which usually involves an urgent desire to move the legs, associated with an unpleasant sensation and periodic movements of the legs during sleep. Its pathophysiology has been widely studied and is still not completely clear, and it is currently understood that it is influenced by personality, genetic and environmental factors. In this paper we describe 2 cases in which the suspension of methadone treatment was considered strongly associated with the presentation of restless legs syndrome in patients without previous diagnosis of this syndrome.