Gender differences in the association between antidepressant use and restless legs syndrome

Abstract

Contradictory results have been reported for the association between antidepressant use and Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). Our aim was to clarify the relationship and examine possible gender differences. We interviewed 1,693 veterans receiving primary care from the Cleveland VA Medical Center and obtained prescription drug information from their medical records. Overall, use of an antidepressant was associated with RLS for men (RR = 1.77, CI = 1.26, 2.48) but not for women (RR = 0.79, CI = 0.43, 1.47). Analyses of individual antidepressants revealed an association between RLS and fluoxetine for women (RR = 2.47, CI = 1.33, 4.56), and associations between RLS and citalopram, (RR = 2.09, CI = 1.20, 3.64), paroxetine (RR = 1.97, CI = 1.02, 3.79), and amitriptyline (RR = 2.40, CI = 1.45, 4.00) for men. We conclude that RLS may be associated with antidepressant use, but the association varies by gender and type of antidepressant. Antidepressant use is more strongly associated with RLS in men than in women.