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Study Objectives To evaluate leg movements during sleep (LMS) in children taking serotonergic antidepressants, compared to those of children with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and controls, and to assess the time structure of intermovement intervals (IMI). Methods Twenty-three children (12 girls, mean age 14.1 years) on antidepressants and with a total LMS index ≥ 15/h, 21 drug-naïve RLS children (11 girls, mean age 13.6 years) also with total LMS index ≥ 15/h, and 35 control children (17 girls, mean age 14.3 years) were recruited. LMS were scored and a series of parameters was calculated, along with the analysis of their time structure. Results Children taking antidepressants showed higher total and periodic LMS (PLMS) indexes than both controls and RLS children, as well as higher short-interval and isolated LMS indexes than controls. LMS periodicity was highest in children on antidepressants. In children taking antidepressants, a well-defined PLMS IMI peak corresponding to approximately 10–60 s, with a maximum at approximately 20 s was present, which was much less evident in RLS patients and absent in controls. A progressive decrease of PLMS during the night and more frequent arousals were found in children on antidepressants and with RLS. Conclusions Children taking serotonergic antidepressants show higher periodicity LMS than children with RLS or controls and have a higher number of PLMS through the night. Antidepressant-associated PLMS in children seem to have features similar to PLMS of adults with RLS. Whether this is a marker of an increased risk to develop RLS later in life needs to be determined.

Introduction The etiology of restless sleep has recently been identified as secondary to various medical and sleep conditions. Parents of children with ADHD complain of restless sleep and sleep disturbances in their children. We aimed to assess restless sleep causes in our patient population with ADHD and establish the prevalence of restless sleep disorder (RSD), as recently defined. Methods A retrospective study of children with ADHD who underwent polysomnography was carried out. Diagnostic and descriptive information collected for each patient included age, sex, polysomnographic parameters, sleep disorders, psychiatric comorbidities, and medications. Results Sixty-six PSGs were reviewed. The mean age of children was 11.6 (±3.6 SD) years; 17 were female and 49 were male. Parents of 54 (81.1%) children had concerns of restlessness during sleep; 47 (71.2%) children had obstructive sleep apnea, 17 (25.8%) had PLMS ≥5/hour, 13 (19.7%) had RLS, 6 (9.1%) had RSD, 27 (41%) had depression or anxiety, 5 (7.6%) had insomnia. Conclusion In a pediatric sleep medicine referred group of patients with ADHD, who are known to have significant sleep and psychiatric comorbidities, obstructive sleep apnea, RLS, and RSD were found to be the most prevalent sleep disorders, whereas depression and anxiety were the most common psychiatric disorders. Complaint of secondary restless sleep seems to be common, while primary restless sleep disorder was seen in approximately 9% of children. The results of this study aid pediatricians and child psychiatrists in screening children with ADHD for associated sleep disorders. Support (if any)