OVERVIEW
This page is dedicated to organizing various examples of standardized exam questions whose answer is restless legs syndrome (RLS). While this may seem a odd practice, it is useful to see multiple examples of how RLS will be characterized on standardized exams (namely the boards and the shelf exams). This page is not meant to be used as a tradition question bank (as all of the answers will be the same), however seeing the classic “test” characterization for a disease is quite valuable.
QUESTION EXAMPLES
Question # 1
A 55 year old woman comes to the clinic with her husband complaining of a 7 month history of difficulty sleeping and daytime fatigue. She explains that she develops an uncomfortable sensation in her calves right after going to bed at night. The sensation will persist and keep her away for a couple of hours before she finally falls asleep. While she sometimes snores, generally she sleeps soundly. She has had a past history of migraine as a teenager, and is currently taking sumatriptan about once a month. She underwent menopause about 6 years ago. Her BMI is 22 kg/m². Her pulse is 75/min, blood pressure is 120/70 mm Hg. Her physical exam reveals a small patch of eczema over the left antecubital fossa. her mental status exam shows some mild anxiety. She explains to the doctor that she is concerned about how her fatigue could impact the quality of her work. Her husband has recently retired, and she is aware of how much eh is counting on her salary to pay for all of their bills. She gets quite upset when she cannot sleep, and admits to become tearful on an isolated night when she was particularly frustrated. Results of laboratory studies are all unremarkable. What most likely explains this patient’s presentation?
Question # 2
A 50 year old female comes to the clinic because she has been noticing odd sensations in her calves daily for the past 4 years. She explains that she notices discomfort when she sits for long periods or lies in bed. If she stands and walks she obtains relief temporarily. This sensation feels like something is crawling over her legs, and her calves feel tight as well. Her PMH is unremarkable. A neurological exam shows no remarkable findings, and her peripheral pulses are normal throughout the body. What is the likely diagnosis?
Explanation: odd sensations in feet only when immobilized for a period of time + no other findings = RLS
Page Updated: 09.17.2016