OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in native South Americans
and identify the impact of geographic location.
PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS
An epidemiological telephone survey of RLS symptoms involving natives from coastal
and mountainous areas was performed during July 2, 2004, through September 28, 2004.
The process consisted of 2 phases: the creation of the epidemiological instrument
and the telephone survey.
RESULTS
Five hundred adults, 250 from the mountainous regions and 250 from the coastal region
(190 men and 310 women; age range, 25-85 years) were interviewed and subsequently
divided on the basis of International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group criteria
into those who had RLS (RLS+ group) and those who did not (RLS-group). Ten (2.0%)
had RLS. The overall rate of RLS in adults living in the mountainous region at 2816
m above sea level (3.2% [8/250]) was significantly higher than that for adults living
in the coastal region at 4 m above sea level (0.80% [2/250]; P=.002). The mean age of the RLS+ group was 49.5 years (SD, 15.20 years; range, 25-85
years).
CONCLUSION
Native South American adults have a prevalence of RLS well below that reported in
populations with European ancestry but similar to that in Asian and Turkish populations.
Furthermore, in Ecuador, geographic differences were identified in areas of similar
population density.
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© 2006 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
