Restless legs syndrome in narcolepsy: a side effect of sodium oxybate?

Beatriz Abril; Bertrand Carlander; Jacques Touchon; Yves Dauvilliers

doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2006.06.003

Restless legs syndrome in narcolepsy: a side effect of sodium oxybate?

Sleep Med. 2007 Mar;8(2):181-3. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2006.06.003. Epub 2007 Feb 1.

Authors

Beatriz Abril¹, Bertrand Carlander, Jacques Touchon, Yves Dauvilliers

Affiliation

¹ Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Gui-de-Chauliac, 34295 Montpellier, France.

PMID: 17275405
DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2006.06.003

Abstract

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has re-emerged as a major treatment for narcolepsy. As dopaminergic transmission is clearly involved in the pathophysiology of restless legs syndrome (RLS), and GHB reduces dopamine release, one may hypothesize that RLS may occur in narcolepsy in the presence of GHB. We report a case of narcolepsy with a severe occurrence of typical RLS with GHB, symptoms never previously experienced by the subject and reversible after withdrawal.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Diagnosis, Differential
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drug Administration Schedule
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Narcolepsy / drug therapy*
Restless Legs Syndrome / chemically induced*
Restless Legs Syndrome / diagnosis
Sodium Oxybate / therapeutic use*

Substances

Sodium Oxybate