Skeletal muscle morphology in patients with restless legs syndrome

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the cellular and structural properties of skeletal muscle in restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Method: Twenty patients and 16 controls were included. Aerobic performance was assessed using a submaximal test. On muscle biopsies taken from the tibialis anterior, fiber distribution and fiber area were analyzed together with parameters surveying the microvascularization, especially the tortuosity, which is expressed as a percent of muscle fiber perimeter in contact with the wall of the microvessel, length of capillary/perimeter of fiber (LC/PF) index.

Results: The RLS group had significantly lower predicted maximal oxygen uptake (p = 0.01) and significantly higher LC/PF index (p = 0.01) compared to the controls.

Conclusion: The higher capillary tortuosity in RLS patients indicates the occurrence of significant remodeling in capillary geometry in RLS.