Augmentation of restless legs syndrome with long-term tramadol treatment

Mov Disord. 2007 Feb 15;22(3):424-7. doi: 10.1002/mds.21342.

Abstract

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) augmentation, defined as a kind of suppression of the circadian rhythm of the disease in which sensory and motor symptoms appear earlier during the day (and over previously unaffected body parts), with a progressive phase advance until, backwards, the symptoms may cover the entire day, has been described only after treatment with dopaminergic drugs. We report clinical and polysomnographic accounts of a patient developing RLS augmentation after long-term treatment with tramadol, an opioid agonist with selectivity for mu-receptor and added norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibition properties. Polysomnographic measures showed an improvement of RLS and a disappearance of diurnal sensory and motor RLS symptoms after tramadol was stopped. Our case confirms a recent retrospective report of augmentation of RLS after treatment with tramadol, and begs the question whether augmentation is truly restricted to dopaminergic drugs.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Analgesics, Opioid / adverse effects*
  • Drug Synergism
  • Electroencephalography
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Paresthesia / drug therapy
  • Polysomnography
  • Restless Legs Syndrome / chemically induced*
  • Tramadol / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Tramadol