ABSTRACT

Background and Objective: Restless legs syndrome is a neurological movement disorder that affects 6 to 83% of dialysis patients. This study was implemented to determine prevalence of restless legs syndrome in dialysis patients of ChaharMahal and Bakhtiari province.

Methods: This descriptive-cross sectional study was done in 2011. The study population was all of dialysis patients referred to dialysis units in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province hospitals that entered to the study with census sampling. Data gathering tool was composed of demographic status questionnaire and restless legs syndrome's international questionnaire. The information analyzed using SPSS software v.15 and descriptive-analytical methods.

Results: Results showed that 98 persons (57.3%) of participants had the restless legs syndrome and among them 64 persons (65.3%) had mild syndrome and 34 persons (34.7%) had severe syndrome. Moreover there were no correlation between age, sex, job occupation, duration and frequency of dialysis with incidence of restless legs. (P > 0.05)

Conclusion: Due to the high frequency of restless legs syndrome in hemodialysis patients, putting foot care education in caring programs of these patients is necessary.

Keywords: Prevalence, Restless Legs Syndrome, Hemodialysis