0000000000901744
AUTHOR
Uta Scheidt
Reply: Sensory profile in primary restless legs syndrome and restless legs syndrome associated with small fibre neuropathy
Sir, We wish to thank the editor for giving us the opportunity to respond to this letter. We appreciated reading that Drs Gemignani and Vitetta think our study (Bachmann et al. , 2010) provides support for the differential diagnosis of primary and secondary restless legs syndrome (RLS) associated with small fibre neuropathy, when comparing the sensory profiles of these groups of patients for the first time. Dr Gemignani recently wrote ‘A general consensus on the proposed criteria for the diagnosis of small fibre neuropathy has not been established’ (Gemignani, 2010 b ). This already applies for small fibre neuropathy without complicating RLS; however, for the constellation of RLS with small…
Thermal hypoaesthesia differentiates secondary restless legs syndrome associated with small fibre neuropathy from primary restless legs syndrome.
This study aimed to assess thermal and mechanical perception and pain thresholds in primary idiopathic restless legs syndrome and secondary restless legs syndrome associated with small fibre neuropathy. Twenty-one patients (age: 53.4 + or - 8.4, n = 3, male) with primary restless legs syndrome and 13 patients (age: 63.0 + or - 8.2, n = 1, male) with secondary restless legs syndrome associated with small fibre neuropathy were compared with 20 healthy subjects (age: 58.0 + or - 7.0; n = 2, male). Differential diagnosis of secondary restless legs syndrome associated with small fibre neuropathy was based on clinical symptoms and confirmed with skin biopsies in all patients. A comprehensive quan…