Of 143 migraine subjects, 13 (9.1 %) were classified as having RLS. Of 1,130 non-migraine headache subjects and 1,422 non-headache control subjects, 78 (6.9 %) and 51 (3.6 %) subjects were classified as having RLS, respectively. A significantly greater prevalence of RLS was observed in both subjects with migraine (OR = 2.6, 95 % CI = 1.4–5.0, p = 0.003) and non-migraine headaches (OR = 2.1, 95 % CI = 1.4–2.9, p < 0.001) relative to non-headache control subjects. This pattern was consistent even after adjusting for sociodemographic variables (age, gender, educational level, and size of residential area) and sleep quality (PSQI score >5) (Table 2). There was no significant difference (9.1 % vs. 6.9 %, p = 0.339) in the RLS prevalence between migraineurs and non-migraine headache subjects.
Table 2 Prevalence and odds ratios of restless legs syndrome according to headache diagnosis
Age group, No of participants/ No. of RLS Non-headache control, N = 1,422 Non-migraine headache, N = 1,130 Migraine, N = 143
No. of RLS (%) OR No. of RLS (%) OR (95 % CI) P-value No. of RLS (%) OR (95 % CI) P-value
Aged 19–29, 542/12 4 (1.4) Reference 5 (2.2) 1.3 (0.4–5.0) 0.701 3 (12.0) 6.6 (1.2–36.8) 0.029
Aged 30–39, 604/34 6 (2.0) Reference 25 (9.3) 4.6 (1.8–12.0) 0.002 3 (7.1) 2.9 (0.6–13.4) 0.176
Aged 40–49, 611/20 3 (1.0) Reference 13 (4.7) 3.7 (1.0–13.5) 0.046 4 (10.3) 6.7 (1.5–33.5) 0.016
Aged 50–59, 529/35 17 (5.6) Reference 16 (7.8) 1.3 (0.6–2.7) 0.553 2 (9.1) 1.1 (0.2–5.6) 0.902
Aged 60–69, 409/41 21 (8.6) Reference 19 (12.8) 1.3 (0.6–2.5) 0.506 1 (6.7) 0.4 (0.1–4.0) 0.459
Total, 2695/142 51 (3.6) Reference 78 (6.9) 1.8 (1.3–2.7)a 0.002a 13 (9.1) 2.2 (1.1–4.3)a 0.018a
CI confidence interval, OR odds ratio, RLS restless legs syndrome
aAdjusted after sociodemographic variables and sleep quality