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The study also found the problem can have a significant effect on a person's sleep and daytime activities.
The RLS Epidemiology, Symptoms and Treatment (REST) General Population Study asked more than 15,000 people whether they experienced any RLS symptoms within the previous year, about the nature of frequency of those symptoms, the degree of associated distress, and prior doctor consultation and diagnosis.
The study, funded by drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline, found that 7.2 percent of all the people reported having at least some RLS symptoms, while 2.7 percent of all the people in the study were defined as RLS sufferers -- people with symptoms two to three times a week that were either moderately or severely distressing.
While 81 percent of the RLS sufferers reported talking with a primary-care doctor about their symptoms, only 6.2 percent said they'd been given a diagnosis of RLS. Many were diagnosed with poor circulation, arthritis and back problems.
The frequency of RLS symptoms -- which included uncomfortable or painful sensations in the legs during rest -- in the total study population was about twice as high for women (9 percent) than for men (5.4 percent).
Prevalence of RLS increased up to age 79 and then declined, the study found.
"One of the biggest issues facing those with symptoms of restless legs syndrome is obtaining appropriate diagnosis and treatment," Dr. Nancy L. Earl, group director of clinical neurology at GlaxoSmithKline, said in a prepared statement.
"Millions of people suffer from RLS, yet some physicians may not connect certain physical and sensorimotor symptoms to RLS, resulting in a sizable population that is not getting medical attention or diagnosis," Earl said.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about restless legs syndrome.
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