BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sleep-related movement disorder that is frequently associated with psychological disturbances. Personality traits are of considerable importance with respect to coping with chronic illness and disease vulnerability. This study assessed the temperament and character traits of RLS patients using an approach that involves the psychobiological model of personality. METHODS: The personality features of 65 newly diagnosed and untreated RLS patients with no neurological or psychiatric diseases and 109 healthy controls were determined using the Temperament and Character Inventory and compared using covariance analyses. The International RLS Study Group Severity Scale was used to assess the severity of the RLS symptoms, and the Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess the presence and severity of depressive symptoms. RESULTS: RLS patients scored significantly higher than healthy controls on the temperament dimension of harm avoidance (HA, p=0.02) and significantly lower on self-directedness (SD, p=0.001). No significant difference was observed in terms of the temperament dimension of novelty seeking (p=0.435). HA scores were significantly correlated with the BDI score but not with the RLS severity or duration. CONCLUSIONS: High HA and low SD scores are the main characterizing personality features of RLS patients. These personality dimensions may be among the factors predisposing patients to development of the depressive symptoms that are frequently associated with RLS.
Chronic Disease ; Depression* ; Dopamine ; Humans ; Movement Disorders ; Restless Legs Syndrome* ; Risk Factors* ; Serotonin ; Temperament*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of 5-year ranibizumab treatment in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in a single center and real life clinical setting. METHODS: The records of nAMD patients who were treated with ranibizumab between January 2010 and June 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who completed 5 years of follow-up were included. Main outcome measures were change in best-corrected visual acuity, central retinal thickness, and visit and injection numbers. RESULTS: Forty-four eyes of 37 patients were included. Mean best-corrected visual acuity decreased from 0.82 ± 0.69 to 1.11 ± 0.65 logarithm of minimal angle of resolution after 5 years. Twenty-four eyes (54.5%) had visual acuity loss ≥3 lines, and 20 eyes (45.5%) had stable or improved vision (loss <3 lines, remained stable, or gained ≥1 line) at month 60. The mean total number of visits was 25.3 ± 5.8 (range, 14 to 42), and the mean total number of injections was 12.6 ± 6.4 (range, 3 to 26) at month 60. CONCLUSIONS: Half of the ranibizumab-treated nAMD patients maintained their vision during the 5 years of follow-up. Visit and injection numbers were found to be lower than in prospective studies, reflecting a real world clinical practice.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration* ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prospective Studies ; Ranibizumab* ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity