Botulinum Toxin to Treat Restless Legs Syndrome

Completed · Phase 1/Phase 2 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Restless Legs Syndrome

In brief

This study will test whether botulinum toxin (Botox) may relieve the uncomfortable sensations patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) experience. RLS is a common movement disorder that causes sensory discomfort and restlessness, most often in the legs, which improves with movement. Although medications are available to treat the disorder, many people experience side effects that prevent them from continuing on the medication. The Food and Drug Administration has approved Botox for other movement disorders and for some cosmetic uses. People 18 years of age or older with moderate to severe RLS who have been taking RLS medications for more than 6 weeks before entering the study may be eligible to participate. Candidates are screened with a medical history, physical and neurological examinations, blood tests and, for women who can become pregnant, a urine pregnancy test. Participants are randomly assigned to receive injections of either Botox or placebo (salt water) into up to nine areas of the legs. The correct location of the muscles to be injected is determined by electromyography (EMG), a test that measures the electrical activity of muscles. For surface EMG, electrodes (small metal disks) are filled with a conductive gel and taped to the skin. Needle EMG involves inserting a needle into a muscle. Both methods are used in this study. At 2 and 4 weeks after the injections, subjects are interviewed by telephone and asked to describe their symptoms, side effects and any improvement they may have noticed. After 12 weeks they return to NIH for injections with the alternate compound; that is, those who received Botox previously are given placebo for the second set of injections, and vice-versa. Subjects are again contacted by telephone 2 and 4 weeks after the injections to report their symptoms, side effects and benefits.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00479154

Run by

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

People needed

6

Starts

2007-05-01

Expected to finish

2008-04-01

Last updated by the study team

2012-04-26

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may not qualify if…

• Subjects with any abnormal findings on neurological exam.
• Subjects with a dermatologic disorder that precludes injections in the legs.
• Subjects with a positive urine pregnancy test.
• Subjects without the capacity to give informed consent.
• Subjects taking aminoglycosides, chloroquine, clindamycin, hydroxychloroquine, magnesium sulfate, quinidine, or an anticoagulant.
• Subjects with abnormal clinical chemistry, hematology or urine drug screen by laboratory testing.

Where it is running

• National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike — Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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