ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical features of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and restless legs syndrome (RLS) and to further examine relevant factors that may contribute to the co-occurrence of MS and RLS.Methods Seventy MS patients were recruited in the present study.The RLS screen was further performed in MS patients based on the diagnostic criteria for RLS.MS patients with RLS were designated as the case group and MS patients without RLS served as the control group.The clinical data including age of MS onset,MS duration and clinical disability by the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) were analyzed.Results There were 12 MS patients with RLS in total 70 MS patients and the incidence rate was 17.1％.The average age of MS onset in the RLS group was (47.6 ± 10.0) years,and (40.1 ± 10.4 ) years in the control group.The difference of average age of MS onset was found to be significant (t =2.29,P =0.030).The average history of MS in the RLS group was ( 12.6 ± 6.8 ) years,and ( 8.2 ± 6.6) years in the control group ( t =2.10,P =0.039).The average EDSS of the RLS group was 4.5 ±2.5,and 2.5 ±2.0 in the control group (t =3.02,P =0.004).There was no significant association between RLSRS and EDSS in MS patients with RLS (P =0.15).Conclusion The incidence rate of RLS in MS patients was high.Among patients with MS,RLS was associated with older age,longer MS duration,and more severe disability.
ABSTRACT
Objective To summarize the clinical characteristics of myotonic dystrophy(DM).Methods The clinical data of 24 DM cases were analyzed retrospectively.Results 83.3%(20/24) of the patients obtained the disease during youth and it progressed slowly.79.2%(19/24) of the patients had positive family history.DM was a multisystem disease characterizing by myotonia,weakness and atrophy involved in multiple muscle groups,especially in distal limbs,neck and face.Extensors were more severe than flexors.Spontaneous myotonic discharges and myogenic damages were shown on electromyogram.Pathological examination of muscle biopsies showed increased number of central nuclei,nuclear chains and predominant atrophic typeⅠfibers in 8 cases,muscle fiber necrosis in 7 cases,fibrous structure disorder in 4 cases,sarcoplasmic masses in 3 cases,and serration of sarolemma in 2 cases.Conclusions The clinical characteristics of DM are weakness,atrophy and myotonia.Electromyogram and muscle biopsy are helpful in diagnosis of this disease.