Keywords
treatment
pathophysiology
management
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction: Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease, is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant and irresistible sensations in the legs, usually during periods of rest or inactivity, which result in an uncontrollable desire to move the affected members. Objective: To evaluate the pathophysiological and therapeutic bases associated with restless legs syndrome. Methodology: This is a bibliographic review that included original articles and systematic reviews in English and Portuguese, which addressed pathophysiological aspects and management of SIP, published between 2014 and 2024, selected from the PubMed, Scopus and SciELO databases. After careful selection, 19 articles were chosen to compose this bibliographic review. Results: The condition presents a broad pathophysiological pattern, with several relevant aspects, including genetic characteristics, such as the dominant pattern and interaction at specific loci. In addition to environmental aspects, such as dysregulation of the dopaminergic system, which corroborates the symptomatology of the condition, as well as peripheral and cerebral iron deficit, which is considered a key biological factor in RLS. The management of RLS is diverse and involves non-pharmacological interventions, such as massage and walking, which can complement drug therapy. The choice of pharmacological treatment is individualized and uses dopaminergic agonists, alpha-2-delta ligands, among other drugs. Furthermore, other measures can contribute to the treatment of the condition, such as iron replacement. Considerations: RLS is a complex disorder, the pathophysiology of which is not yet completely understood. Among the multiple factors, the genetic contribution, peripheral and cerebral iron deficiency and dopaminergic dysregulation stand out. Treatment of RLS involves pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. The choice of pharmacological treatment is based on its effectiveness in treating the primary symptoms and associated comorbidities.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Paulo Vytor Cardoso Nobre, Pedro Henrique Costa de Oliveira, José César De Oliveira Cerqueira , Vinicius Cerqueira de Barros Silveira, Maria Eduarda do Amaral Silva Vasconcelos, Natália Calazans de Souza, Josivaldo de Araújo Alves Júnior , Rafael Cerqueira de Barros Silveira , Matheus Gringo Silva Santos , Igor Ribeiro Freire, Guilherme Henrique do Nascimento Silva, Igor Macedo Ferreira