Researchers investigating a link between restless
legs syndrome (RLS) and Crohn’s disease
(CD) uncovered results that demonstrate RLS
occurs frequently in people with CD and appears to be a possible extraintestinal
manifestation of CD. This research appeared in the February 2010 issue of
Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
CD is an ongoing disorder that causes inflammation
of the digestive tract, also referred to as the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract. CD can affect any
area of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus,
but it most commonly affects the lower part of
the small intestine, called the ileum.
CD has a variety of possible extraintestinal
manifestations: arthritis, skin problems, kidney
stones, gallstones, and liver diseases. This study
is the first to show central nervous system (CNS)
manifestations of CD.
A total of 272 patients with CD participated
in the study, and researchers found a 43 percent
incidence rate and 30 percent prevalence rate
of RLS in patients with CD, compared with a
9 percent prevalence rate in the control group.
RLS symptoms occurred during or after the
onset of CD symptoms in the majority of
patients, suggesting a link between CD and RLS.
For
more information and to obtain copies, visit
www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov.