Dipyridamole, a potential therapeutic option for restless legs syndrome: Study

Written By : Medha Baranwal |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2021-11-26T10:30:15+05:30 | Updated On 11 Oct 2023 3:42 PM IST

Spain: Dipyridamole is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for restless legs syndrome (RLS), suggests a recent study published in the journal Movement Disorders.

The study found dipyridamole to have significant therapeutic effects on both sensory and motor symptoms of RLS and on sleep. The findings confirm dipyridamole's efficacy in RLS predicted from preclinical studies and support a key role of adenosine in restless legs syndrome.

There is a need for new pharmacological targets for restless legs syndrome. Preclinical data have suggested an important pathogenetic role of the hypoadenosinergic state. Diego Garcia-Borreguero, Sleep Research Institute, Madrid, Spain, and colleagues aimed to determine whether inhibitors of equilibrative nucleoside transporters, for example, dipyridamole, could provide effective symptomatic treatment.

For this purpose, the researchers conducted a 2-week double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study in which they assessed the efficacy of dipyridamole (possible up-titration to 300 mg) in untreated patients with idiopathic RLS. After each treatment phase, multiple suggested immobilization tests and polysomnography were performed.

Severity was assessed weekly using the International Restless Legs Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression, and the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale. The primary endpoint was a therapeutic response.

Twenty-eight of 29 patients recruited were included.

Based on the study, the researchers found the following:

International Restless Legs Rating Scale scores improved from a mean ± standard deviation of 24.1 ± 3.1 at baseline to 11.1 ± 2.3 at the end of week 2, versus 23.7 ± 3.4 to 18.7 ± 3.2 under placebo.
Clinical Global Impression, Medical Outcomes Study Sleep, and Multiple Suggested Immobilization Test scores all improved.
The mean effective dose of dipyridamole was 217.8 ± 33.1 mg/d.
Sleep variables improved.
The mean periodic leg movement index at the end of treatment with dipyridamole was 8.2 ± 3.5 versus. 28.1 ± 6.7 under placebo.
Side effects (dipyridamole vs placebo) included abdominal distension (18% vs. 7%), dizziness (10.7% vs 7.1%), diarrhea, and asthenia (each 7.1% vs 3.6%).

Reference:

The study titled, "A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study with Dipyridamole for Restless Legs Syndrome," is published in the journal Movement Disorders.

DOI: https://movementdisorders.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mds.28668

Movement DisordersDipyridamolerestless legs syndrome

Source : Movement Disorders

Medha Baranwal

MSc. Biotechnology

Medha Baranwal joined Medical Dialogues as an Editor in 2018 for Speciality Medical Dialogues. She covers several medical specialties including Cardiac Sciences, Dentistry, Diabetes and Endo, Diagnostics, ENT, Gastroenterology, Neurosciences, and Radiology. She has completed her Bachelors in Biomedical Sciences from DU and then pursued Masters in Biotechnology from Amity University. She has a working experience of 5 years in the field of medical research writing, scientific writing, content writing, and content management. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751