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NCT Number: NCT02929732

Analysis of Sympathetic Activity in Willis-Ekbom Disease

Willis-Ekbom disease (WED), also known as restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common neurological sensorimotor disorder that typically impairs sleep and quality of life, likely consequent to a central dopaminergic dysfunction associated to brain iron deficiency. Periodic limb movements (PLMS) in sleep are present in 80% of patients with WED. PLMS are often associated with micro-arousals that contribute to sleep fragmentation and repeated increases of blood pressure and heart rate throughout the night, thus representing an increased risk for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Willis-Ekbom disease affects people with higher cardiovascular risk factors, such as advanced age, obesity, diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia. However, previous observational, cross-sectional or longitudinal population-based studies on the association between RLS and CVD and hypertension showed controversial results.

While the pathophysiology of RLS is yet to be elucidated and is likely multifactorial, one theory involves a reduction in dopaminergic outflow to the preganglionic sympathetic neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Dopamine inhibits preganglionic sympathetic neurons, therefore a reduction in dopamine may in turn increase sympathetic outflow.

Based on this notion, the investigators hypothesize an increase of sympathetic autonomic activity in Willis-Ekbom disease responsible for the recurrent increase in blood pressure and heart rate during sleep, which may play a role in increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The aim of this study is to analyze the autonomic nervous activity in patients with WED compared to healthy volunteers controls. The investigators will measure primarily the cardiac sympathetic activity by the 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) scintigraphy and secondarily the sympathetic nerve activity by the plasmatic pro inflammatory biomarkers and urinary catecholamine levels and the circadian variation of blood pressure and heart rate as assessed by the 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

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Key information

Conditions

Willis-Ekbom Disease Dyssomnias Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Parasomnias Restless Legs Syndrome Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic Sleep Wake Disorders

Age range

18 year–74 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University Hospital of Montpellier

Montpellier, 34295, France

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Yves Dauvilliers, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+33467336361

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Non-specific inclusion criteria (CASE + CONTROL)
  • 18 years-old or more, and less than 75 years-old
  • French-speaking
  • able to understand the study
  • signed written informed consent
  • affiliated to social security
  • CASE-specific inclusion criteria
  • 5 " International RLS Study Group (IRLSSG) 2012 " positive criteria
  • RLS severity scale (IRLS) score ≥ 15
  • ferritin > 50 ng/ml
  • periodic limb movements index > 10/hour
  • idiopathic (or primary) Willis-Ekbom disease not treated with dopaminergic agonists or pregabalin or gabapentin in the last 8 days, at least 3 years of disease duration with symptoms recurring at least 3 times a week

Exclusion criteria

  • Non-specific exclusion criteria (CASE + CONTROL)
  • vulnerable subject : subject deprived of liberty or protected by law (trusteeship, legal guardianship), pregnant or breastfeeding woman
  • exclusion period after other research protocol
  • malignant neoplastic disease treated in the last 12 months
  • medical history of cardiovascular disease (ischemic heart disease, heart failure, stroke, hypertension, sleep apnea syndrome)
  • antidepressant, neuroleptic, sympathomimetic, sympatholytic, vasculotropic, dopamine agonists, opiate treatments
  • CASE-specific exclusion criteria
  • restless legs syndrome secondary to renal failure, hemochromatosis, neurologic disorders, iatrogenesis
  • CONTROL-specific exclusion criteria - Willis-Ekbom Disease

Treatment and study plan

Sympathetic nervous activity measurement

Other

Polysomnography, MIBG myocardic scintigraphy, and 24h blood pressure measurement

Primary outcomes

  1. Cardiac sympathetic activity measurement by the 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) scintigraphy. Analysis of 123I-MIBG uptake based on the ratio heart/mediastinum

    Time frame: Day 0

Secondary outcomes

  1. Cardiac sympathetic activity measurement by the 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) scintigraphy. Analysis of 123I-MIBG washout.

    Time frame: Day 0

  2. Analysis of circadian variations of blood pressure and heart rate assessed by the 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

    Time frame: Day 0

  3. Measurement of pro inflammatory biomarkers and urinary catecholamines levels

    Time frame: Day 0

  4. 5) Analysis of mean increases of blood pressure and heart rate based on sleep stages, micro-arousals, periodic limb movements and sleep apnoeas as measured by continuous non-invasive blood pressure monitoring

    Time frame: Day 0

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University Hospital, Montpellier

Other

Registry information

Acronym: MIBG-RLS

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Oct 11, 2016
Registry last updated
Oct 2, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

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This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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