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Some small trials have suggested that cabergoline, an ergot-based dopamine agonist with a long half-life (65 hours), might successfully treat restless legs syndrome (RLS). These investigators performed the first multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the drug in 85 patients with moderate to severe idiopathic RLS. The 5-week randomized study was followed by a 47-week open-label phase to determine the optimal dosage for each patient.
During the randomized period of the study, cabergoline (0.5 mg, 1.0 mg, and 2.0 mg daily) resulted in significant improvement of RLS symptoms at bedtime and during the night compared with placebo, and cabergoline recipients reported improved satisfaction with sleep. Benefit continued in…