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  • Case Report
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Restless leg syndrome in spinal cord injury: case report

Spinal Cord Series and Cases volume 9, Article number: 19 (2023) Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Case description

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a condition infrequently reported in spinal cord injury that causes an uncomfortable sensation in the legs and an urge to move them. We report a case involving a 63-year-old man with incomplete paraplegia with an onset of RLS four years post injury.

Findings

Based upon history, pramipexole was prescribed for the presumptive diagnosis of RLS, with good effect. Initial workup revealed an anemia (hemoglobin of 9.3 gram/deciliter (g/dl)) and iron deficiency (ferritin of 10 microgram/liter (μg/L)), necessitating further evaluation.

Conclusion

Due to the complexities in diagnosing RLS in patients with SCI, it is important to be cognizant of symptoms and to consider this diagnosis to initiate the appropriate work-up for an etiology, of which iron deficiency anemia is common.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Newark, NJ, USA

    Shane McNamara, Beverly Hon & Steven Kirshblum

  2. Spinal Cord Injury & Disorders Department, Veteran Administration New Jersey Healthcare System, East Orange, NJ, USA

    Beverly Hon

  3. Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, New Jersey. Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, USA

    Steven Kirshblum

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  1. Shane McNamara
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Correspondence to Shane McNamara.

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McNamara, S., Hon, B. & Kirshblum, S. Restless leg syndrome in spinal cord injury: case report. Spinal Cord Ser Cases 9, 19 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-023-00576-4

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