Estima-se que a prevalência dos movimentos periódicos dos membros do sono (MPMS) primários, em pequenos estudos de base populacional, varie de 4% a 11% em adultos.[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
[8]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
[9]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
[10]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
[11]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
[12]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
[13]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
[14]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
Relata-se que a prevalência de MPMS é de 29% em uma população geral de meia idade a idosos.[15]Haba-Rubio J, Marti-Soler H, Marques-Vidal P, et al. Prevalence and determinants of periodic limb movements in the general population. Ann Neurol. 2016 Mar;79(3):464-74.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26703954?tool=bestpractice.com
Um estudo baseado na comunidade de 592 indivíduos nos EUA demonstrou uma prevalência de MPMS (definida como MPMS-I >15; sendo MPMS-I o número de movimentos periódicos dos membros por hora de sono) de 7.6%. Pessoas negras apresentaram uma prevalência significativamente menor que as pessoas brancas. Independentemente da raça, os sintomas de insônia foram significativamente mais comuns em indivíduos com índice de MPMS >15.[8]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
Outros estudos demonstraram que os MPMS são mais comuns em mulheres, indivíduos que trabalham por turnos, indivíduos que utilizam medicamentos hipnóticos e aqueles com ingestão diária de cafeína elevada.[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
Estudos longitudinais em idosos constataram uma prevalência maior de MPMS com o aumento da idade, mas a sonolência só aumentou com a síndrome das pernas inquietas (SPI) comórbida.[17]Leary EB, Moore HE 4th, Schneider LD, et al. Periodic limb movements in sleep: Prevalence and associated sleepiness in the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort. Clin Neurophysiol. 2018 Nov;129(11):2306-2314.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7750028
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30243181?tool=bestpractice.com
Um estudo relatou uma prevalência de TMPM >80% em pacientes idosos com perturbação do sono.[11]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
[12]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
[13]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
[14]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
A prevalência do TMPM é particularmente alta em indivíduos com SPI (até 80%).[6]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
[7]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
Embora os estudos sejam limitados, sugeriu-se que os MPMS podem ser mais comuns em grupos mais jovens do que se suspeitava anteriormente, e que o TMPM pode ser mais comum em crianças com TDAH.[9]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
[10]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