Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) significantly decreased restless legs syndrome (RLS) symptoms in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) despite a decrease in dopaminergic treatment, a recent study found. Furthermore, this improvement was sustained over a 2-year period. Patients undergoing STN DBS surgery for PD completed the International RLS Study Group Rating Scale (IRLS) and RLS Quality of Life (QoL) questionnaires preoperatively and postoperatively at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years. The primary outcome measure was IRLS sum score and subscales (severity and impact) and the secondary measure was RLS QoL scores. 22 patients were enrolled. Researchers found:

• The preoperative IRLS sum scores were 19.59 ± 6.95, severity subscale 12.91 ± 4.33, impact subscale 4.45 ± 2.72, and transformed RLS QoL score 68.30 ± 20.26.
• The differences between preoperative and averaged postoperative scores were IRLS sum score −7.80, severity subscale −5.50, impact subscale −1.20, and RLS QoL 4.73.
• There were no correlations between RLS symptoms improvement and PD motor symptoms improvement or reduction in PD medications.
• Half of the patients had at least 50% improvement and 27% had resolution of their RLS symptoms (IRLS = 0).