NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – The results of a sham-controlled trial suggest that pneumatic compression devices (PCDs) can produce clinically significant improvements in patients with restless legs syndrome.

The findings from uncontrolled studies have shown that PCDs can improve symptoms of restless legs syndrome. Supporting data from randomized trials, however, were lacking, study co-authors Dr. Christopher J. Lettieri and Dr. Arn H. Eliasson, from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, note.

The current study, reported in the January issue of Chest, enrolled 35 subjects who were randomized to wear a PCD or a sham device before restless legs syndrome symptoms usually occurred for at least 1 hour per day. Restless legs syndrome symptoms and related outcomes were assessed at baseline and after 1 month of treatment.

PCDs provided significantly greater improvements in illness severity, quality of life, daytime sleepiness, and fatigue compared with sham devices. All quality of life domains, including social function, daytime function, sleep quality, and emotional well-being, were improved to a greater extent with PCDs.

Roughly one third of PCD-treated subjects reported complete relief of restless legs syndrome compared with none of the control subjects.

“The most likely roles for PCDs would be in the following: 1) patients unresponsive or incompletely responsive to pharmacological agents, 2) patients intolerant of pharmacologic side effects, or 3) situations where it is advisable to avoid drug-drug interactions,” the authors state.

Reference:
Chest 2009;135:74-80.