Patients with a diagnosis of  restless legs syndrome are two-and-a-half times more likely to self-harm, have suicidal thoughts or to take their own lives, a study based on US insurance claims suggests.

Among 169,000 healthy patients included in the analysis, some 24,000 had been diagnosed with restless legs syndrome.

Over a six-year follow-up, those with restless legs syndrome faced an increased risk of harming themselves or to experience suicidal thinking or attempts, compared with those without the condition, researchers report in JAMA Network Open.

The syndrome is considered a neurological disorder, and is associated with disturbed sleep and with depression, the study team notes.