ABSTRACT
The diagnosis of RLS is mainly based on the patient’s clinical history1,2. In patients with typical symptoms, the diagnosis is easy. However, it can be difficult in patients with either atypical symptomatology or co-morbidity, for example with other sleep or movement disorders. The diagnosis of RLS is based on criteria proposed by a consensus conference held at the National Institutes of Health, May 1-3, 2002, in Bethesda, Maryland, USA2. These criteria are essentially based on criteria published by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group, IRLSSG1, and represent an update of these as a result of the improved understanding of the disease. Allen and colleagues also developed new criteria for the diagnosis of RLS in the cognitively impaired elderly (Tables 2.3 and 2.4) and in children (Tables 2.5-2.8). The consensus conference also suggested diagnostic criteria for RLS augmentation (Table 2.9).
