Restless legs syndrome (Willis-Ekbom disease)
BioMG follows French guidelines. Adapt it to the guidelines and the tests available where you practise.
Initial tests
Fasting laboratory tests, in the morning
- No iron supplement or iron-rich food in the 24 hours before the blood test
- FBC
- Serum ferritin
- Transferrin saturation
- Serum creatinine with eGFR (depending on the patient)if neededDepending on the patient, if it has never been done: chronic renal failure promotes the syndrome (15 to 68% of patients) [1].
- Fasting plasma glucose (depending on the patient)if neededDepending on the patient, if it has never been done: the syndrome is more frequent in diabetes and polyneuropathies [1].
- CRP (if inflammation may distort ferritin)if neededTo interpret a normal or high ferritin when inflammation is possible; the French consensus cites it in children [1].
Do not order
Follow-up of a clinically significant syndrome
Regularly, in the morning (no interval set by the guidelines)
- No iron supplement or iron-rich food in the 24 hours before the blood test
- Serum ferritin
- Transferrin saturation
Sources (5)
- Leclair-Visonneau L, Vecchierini MF, Schröder C, Charley Monaca C. Consensus français sous l'égide de la SFRMS sur le syndrome des jambes sans repos : comment poser le diagnostic ? Médecine du sommeil. 2019;16:97-105 (version française de : French consensus: how to diagnose restless legs syndrome. Rev Neurol (Paris). 2018;174:508-14).
- Winkelman JW, Berkowski JA, DelRosso LM, et al. Treatment of restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline. J Clin Sleep Med. 2025;21(1):137-52 (publié en ligne en septembre 2024).
- Allen RP, Picchietti DL, Auerbach M, et al.; International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG). Evidence-based and consensus clinical practice guidelines for the iron treatment of restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease in adults and children: an IRLSSG task force report. Sleep Med. 2018;41:27-44.
- Garcia-Borreguero D, Stillman P, Benes H, et al. Algorithms for the diagnosis and treatment of restless legs syndrome in primary care. BMC Neurol. 2011;11:28 (groupe de travail de l'European Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group, EURLSSG).
- Assurance maladie. Nomenclature des actes de biologie médicale (NABM), version 105 : acte 1213 (ferritine).