Abstract:Objective To investigate the incidence rate of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in patients with migraine and the influence of RLS on emotion and sleep.Methods A total of 200 patients with migraine were enrolled as migraine group, and 100 healthy adults were enrolled as control group. The incidence rate and severity of RLS, sleep quality, and anxiety and depression scores were evaluated and compared between the two groups. The emotion and sleep of migraine patients with RLS were also assessed.Results The chronic migraine group had a significantly higher incidence rate of RLS than the control group (16.25% vs 5%, P<0.05), and the episodic migraine group had a higher incidence rate than the control group (12.5% vs 5%, P>0.05). The patients with migraine and RLS had significantly poorer sleep quality and significantly higher anxiety and depression scores compared with those with migraine alone (all P<0.05). The frequency of headache and RLS were influencing factors for depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders (all P<0.05). In the patients with migraine, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score, Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score were positively correlated with International Restless Legs Scale score (rHAMD=0.397, rHAMA=0.434, rPSQI=0.500, all P<0.05). The severity of RLS was positively correlated with the severity of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders (all P<0.05).Conclusions Patients with chronic migraine have a higher incidence rate of RLS and more severe symptoms of RLS compared with those with episodic migraine, and the severity of RLS is positively correlated with the severity of anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders.