Consensus diagnostic criteria for restless legs syndrome (RLS) from the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG).
RLS is diagnosed by identifying the symptom pattern that meets the following five essential criteria; clinical clues to the course are added as appropriate.
| Criterion | Description |
| Essential diagnostic criteria (all must be met): | |
| 1 | Urge to move the legs, but not always accompanied by or felt as dysesthesias (sensory disturbance; unpleasant sensations) in the legs. a, b |
| 2 | The urge to move the legs and associated dysesthesias begin or worsen during periods of rest as well as inactivity such as lying down or sitting. |
| 3 | The urge to move the legs and the associated dysesthesias are partially or completely relieved by exercise, such as walking or stretching, at least as long as the activity continues. c |
| 4 | The urge to move the legs and the accompanying dysesthesias during periods of rest or inactivity occur only in the evening or at night, or are worse then during the day. d |
| 5 | The presence of the above features is not considered symptoms of any other medical or behavioral disorder (e.g., myalgia (muscle pain), venous congestion, leg cramps).e |
| Clinical clues to the course of RLS: | |
| A. Chronic persistent RLS: If untreated, symptoms would occur at least twice weekly for a period of one year. | |
| B. Intermittent RLS: If untreated, symptoms would occur less than twice weekly over a one-year period while associated with stressful life events (at least five). | |
Legend
- A Sometimes the urge to move the legs is present without the dysesthesias, and sometimes arms or other body parts are involved in addition to the legs.
- B For children, the description of these symptoms should be in the child’s own words.
- C If the symptoms are very severe, relief from activity may not be noticeable, but they must have been present before.
- D If symptoms are very severe, worsening may not be noticeable in the evening or at night, but must have been present previously.
- E These conditions, often referred to as “RLS mimics,” have been frequently confused with RLS, especially in surveys, because they result in symptoms that meet or at least closely resemble criteria 1-4.
