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Case Reports
. 2021 Mar 24;14(3):e240686.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-240686.

Dopa responsive irritable bowel syndrome: restless bowel syndrome or a gastrointestinal variant of restless legs syndrome?

Sanjay Prakash  1 , Anurag Prakash  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Dopa responsive irritable bowel syndrome: restless bowel syndrome or a gastrointestinal variant of restless legs syndrome?

Sanjay Prakash et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

In addition to the legs, restless legs syndrome (RLS) affects various other parts of the body, including the arms, abdomen, face, head-neck, oral cavity, genital area and bladder. RLS is also associated with several comorbid conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We are reporting two cases of RLS who also had IBS, fulfilling the Rome IV criteria. The administration of levodopa and dopamine agonists provided a complete improvement in both IBS and RLS. Review of the literature suggest that the clinical semiology and clinical pattern of IBS (urge to defaecate, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, bloating, disturbed sleep and circadian rhythm) simulate the semiology and pattern of RLS. Similarities are also noted in the associated comorbid conditions, effective drugs and proposed hypotheses for both clinical syndromes. We hypothesise that RLS may affect intestine, and IBS-like symptoms in a subset of patients with RLS may be the part of RLS symptoms complex.

Keywords: irritable bowel syndrome; movement disorders (other than parkinsons); pain (neurology); sleep disorders (neurology).

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

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