neurologic disorders
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) and Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
Diagnosis of PLMD and RLS
For RLS, history alone For PLMD, polysomnography Diagnosis of RLS or PLMD may be suggested by the patient’s or bed partner’s history. For example, patients with PLMD typically have insomnia, EDS, and/or excessive twitching just before sleep onset or during sleep. Polysomnography is necessary to confirm the diagnosis of PLMD, which is usually apparent as repetitive bursts of electromyographic activity. Polysomnography may be also done after RLS is diagnosed to determine whether patients also have PLMD, but polysomnography is not necessary for diagnosis of RLS itself. Patients with either disorder should be evaluated medically for disorders that can contribute (eg, with blood tests for anemia and iron deficiency and with hepatic and renal function tests). 