Don’t use polysomnography to diagnose restless legs syndrome, except rarely when the clinical history is ambiguous and documentation of periodic leg movements is necessary.

Rationale and Comments

Restless legs syndrome is a neurologic disorder that can be diagnosed based on a patient’s description of symptoms and additional clinical history. Polysomnography generally does not provide additional information necessary to make the diagnosis. If a patient’s clinical history for RLS is ambiguous, PSG to assess for periodic leg movements may be useful to help confirm an RLS diagnosis.

Sponsoring Organizations

American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Sources

Expert consensus

Disciplines

Neurologic

References

Kushida CA, Littner MR, Morgenthaler T, Alessi CA, Bailey D, Coleman J Jr, Friedman L, Hirshkowitz M, Kapen S, Kramer M, Lee-Chiong T, Loube DL, Owens J, Pancer JP, Wise M. Practice parameters for the indications for polysomnography and related procedures: an update for 2005. Sleep. 2005;28(4):499-521.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine. International classification of sleep disorders, 3rd ed. Darien, Ill.: American Academy of Sleep Medicine; 2014.