Reader response: Deep brain stimulation improves restless legs syndrome in patients with Parkinson disease

Abstract

Several studies assessed the effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) on restless legs syndrome (RLS) symptoms in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) with conflicting results.1–5 As underlined by Klepitskaya et al.,1 one crucial variable is dopaminergic therapy, as emergence of RLS after STN DBS in patients with PD has been reported after abrupt decrease of dopaminergic treatment.3 Klepitskaya et al. argued that, in a previous study we conducted,5 patients with emergence of RLS after STN DBS took a higher dose and had a more significant reduction of dopamine agonists compared to those without emergence with RLS. Yet, we actually reported the opposite, showing an emergence of RLS in patients with PD with a higher dose of dopamine agonists postoperatively and with a lesser decrease of dopamine agonists after STN DBS.5