原发性睡眠周期性肢体运动 (PLMS) 的患病率:小样本研究显示,成人约为 4% 至 11%。[4]Hornyak M, Feige B, Reimann D, et al. Periodic leg movements in sleep and periodic limb movement disorder: prevalence, clinical significance and treatment. Sleep Med Rev. 2006;10:169-177.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16762807?tool=bestpractice.com[9]Scofield H, Roth T, Drake C. Periodic limb movements during sleep: population prevalence, clinical correlates, and racial differences. J Sleep. 2008;31:1221-1227.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2542977/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18788647?tool=bestpractice.com[10]Picchietti DL, Walters AS. Moderate to severe periodic limb movement disorder in childhood and adolescence. Sleep. 1999;22:297-300.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10341379?tool=bestpractice.com[11]Chervin RD, Archbold KH, Dillon JE, et al. Associations between symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, restless legs, and periodic leg movements. Sleep. 2002;25:213-218.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11902431?tool=bestpractice.com[12]Gehrman P, Stepnowsky C, Cohen-Zion M, et al. Long-term follow-up of periodic limb movements in sleep in older adults. Sleep. 2002;25:340-343.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12003165?tool=bestpractice.com[13]Ancoli-Israel S, Kripke DF, Klauber MR, et al. Periodic limb movements in sleep in community-dwelling elderly. Sleep. 1991;14:496-500.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1798881?tool=bestpractice.com[14]Carrier J, Frenette S, Montplaisir J, et al. Effects of periodic leg movements during sleep in middle-aged subjects without sleep complaints. Mov Disord. 2005;20:1127-1132.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15884036?tool=bestpractice.com[15]Hornyak M, Trenkwalder C. Restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder in the elderly. J Psychosom Res. 2004;56:543-548.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15172211?tool=bestpractice.com睡眠周期性肢体运动在老年人中的患病率为 34%。睡眠周期性肢体运动指数 (PLMS-I) >5 对于儿童可明确认定为异常,但是不太确定成人的标准值。《睡眠障碍国际分类 2005》指出,大部分成人病例中,每小时的 PLMS-I 都超过 15。
美国近期一项针对 592 名患者的以社区为基础的研究表明,PLMS-I>15的睡眠周期性肢体运动患病率为 7.6%。黑人中PLMS-I>15 的比例显著低于白人。不论种族,失眠症状在 PLMS-I>15 的人中更常见。[9]Scofield H, Roth T, Drake C. Periodic limb movements during sleep: population prevalence, clinical correlates, and racial differences. J Sleep. 2008;31:1221-1227.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2542977/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18788647?tool=bestpractice.com其他研究表明,睡眠周期性肢体运动更常见于妇女、轮班工人、服用安眠药人群以及那些白天摄入大量咖啡因的人。[16]Ohayon MM, Roth T. Prevalence of restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder in the general population. J Psychosom Res. 2002;53:547-554.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12127170?tool=bestpractice.com
虽然研究有限,但发现与之前的认识相比,睡眠周期性肢体运动更常见于年轻群体,周期性肢体运动障碍 (PLMD) 则更常见于患有注意缺陷多动障碍 (ADHD) 的儿童。[10]Picchietti DL, Walters AS. Moderate to severe periodic limb movement disorder in childhood and adolescence. Sleep. 1999;22:297-300.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10341379?tool=bestpractice.com[11]Chervin RD, Archbold KH, Dillon JE, et al. Associations between symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, restless legs, and periodic leg movements. Sleep. 2002;25:213-218.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11902431?tool=bestpractice.com
针对老年人的纵向研究发现睡眠周期性肢体运动患病率仍然很高,但是睡眠周期性肢体运动的严重程度并未随着时间而加重。一项研究分析了>80% 有睡眠诉病的老年人患有周期性肢体运动障碍的患病率。[12]Gehrman P, Stepnowsky C, Cohen-Zion M, et al. Long-term follow-up of periodic limb movements in sleep in older adults. Sleep. 2002;25:340-343.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12003165?tool=bestpractice.com[13]Ancoli-Israel S, Kripke DF, Klauber MR, et al. Periodic limb movements in sleep in community-dwelling elderly. Sleep. 1991;14:496-500.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1798881?tool=bestpractice.com[14]Carrier J, Frenette S, Montplaisir J, et al. Effects of periodic leg movements during sleep in middle-aged subjects without sleep complaints. Mov Disord. 2005;20:1127-1132.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15884036?tool=bestpractice.com[15]Hornyak M, Trenkwalder C. Restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder in the elderly. J Psychosom Res. 2004;56:543-548.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15172211?tool=bestpractice.com继发性周期性肢体运动障碍在不安腿综合征患者中的患病率尤其高(高达 80%)。[7]Montplaisir J, Boucher S, Poirier G, et al. Clinical, polysomnographic, and genetic characteristics of restless legs syndrome: a study of 133 patients diagnosed with new standard criteria. Mov Disord. 1997;12:61-65.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8990055?tool=bestpractice.com[8]Rijsman RM, Stam CJ, de Weerd AW. Abnormal H-reflexes in periodic limb movement disorder: impact on understanding the pathophysiology of the disorder. Clin Neurophysiol. 2005;116:204-210.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15589198?tool=bestpractice.com