Concurrent Evaluation of Restless Leg Syndrome, Neuropathic Pain, and Quality of Life in Anti-neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis: Single-Center Data

Objective This study aims to investigate the frequency of restless leg syndrome (RLS) and neuropathic pain (NeP) and their effects on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). Methods The study included 30 patients with AAV and 30 healthy volunteers. Demographic and clinical parameters and laboratory data were recorded. International criteria were used for the diagnosis of RLS, the Douleur-Neuropathique-4 questionnaire for NeP, and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire to assess the QoL. AAV patients were subdivided according to NeP (with and without NeP) and RLS (with and without RLS) status. The recorded data were compared between patients and controls and between subgroups of patients. Results Although there was a proportional difference in RLS incidence between patients with AAV and healthy controls, this difference was not statistically significant (16.7% vs. 3.3%; p=0.195). Data regarding the comparison of demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings and Birmingham vasculitis activity score did not exhibit significant differences between the RLS and control groups, respectively. The prevalence of NeP was significantly higher in the AAV group than in the control group (26.7% vs. 0%, p=0.005). Furthermore, when QoL analysis was done in both groups, general health (p=0.001) and SF-36-MCS (p=0.021) scores were significantly lower in the AAV with NeP than without NeP. Conclusion This study showed that NeP was more common in the AAV group than in healthy controls. In addition, some sub-components of QoL were worse in those with NeP than in those without NeP. However, the AAV was negatively associated with NeP and QoL rather than RLS. Caution should be exercised with regard to NeP in AAV, especially in patients with permanent organ damage.