Severity Scale
Restless Legs Syndrome Rating Scale
Devised by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group
Patients must meet the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) criteria for the diagnosis of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) before administration of the questionnaire. The criteria are:
a. Desire to move the extremities, usually associated with discomfort or disagreeable sensations in the extremities.
b. Motor Restlessness - patients move to relieve the discomfort, for example walking, or to provide a counter-stimulus to relieve the discomfort, for example, rubbing the legs.
c. Symptoms are worse at rest with at least temporary relief by activity.
d. Symptoms are worse later in the day or at night.
Restless Legs Syndrome Rating Scale
The patient should rate his/her symptoms for the following ten questions. The patient should make the ratings, but an examiner should be available to clarify any misunderstandings the patient may have about the questions.
1. Overall, how would you rate the RLS discomfort in you legs or arms?
(4) Very severe
(3) Severe
(2) Moderate
(1) Mild
(0) None
2. Overall, how would you rate the need to move around because of your RLS symptoms?
(4) Very severe
(3) Severe
(2) Moderate
(1) Mild
(0) None
3. Overall, how much relief of your RLS arm or leg discomfort do you get from moving around?
(4) No relief
(3) Slight relief
(2) Moderate relief
(1) Either complete or almost complete relief
(0) No RLS symptoms and therefore question does not apply
4. Overall, how severe is your sleep disturbance from your RLS symptoms?
(4) Very severe
(3) Severe
(2) Moderate
(1) Mild
(0) None
5. How severe is your tiredness or sleepiness from your RLS symptoms?
(4) Very severe
(3) Severe
(2) Moderate
(1) Mild
(0) None
6. Overall, how severe is your RLS as a whole?
(4) Very severe
(3) Severe
(2) Moderate
(1) Mild
(0) None
7. How often do you get RLS symptoms?
(4) Very severe (This means 6 to 7 days a week.)
(3) Severe (This means 4 to 5 days a week.)
(2) Moderate (This means 2 to 3 days a week.)
(1) Mild (This means 1 day a week or less.)
(0) None
8. When you have RLS symptoms, how severe are they on an average day?
(4) Very severe (This means 8 hours per 24 hour day or more.)
(3) Severe (This means 3 to 8 hours per 24 hour day.)
(2) Moderate (This means 1 to 3 hours per 24 hour day.)
(1) Mild (This means less than 1 hour per 24 hour day.)
(0) None
9. Overall, how severe is the impact of your RLS symptoms on your ability to carry out your daily affairs, for example carrying out a satisfactory family, home, social, school, or work life?
(4) Very severe
(3) Severe
(2) Moderate
(1) Mild
(0) None
10. How severe is your mood disturbance from your RLS symptoms – for example angry, depressed, sad, anxious, or irritable?
(4) Very severe
(3) Severe
(2) Moderate
(1) Mild
(0) None
The severity of the condition is judged according to the score:
31-40 points Very severe
21-30 points Severe
11-20 points Moderate
1-10 points Mild
0 points None
RLS Ordinal Scale for Patients
The patient should also rate their symptom severity for the preceding week according to this scale:
1-2 Mild
3-4 Moderate
5-6 Severe
7-8 Very severe
