Painful nocturnal leg cramps are about twice as common during summer than in winter, a new study has found.
The authors found this by looking at the prescribing information in British Columbia between 2001 and 2007, for Quinine sulfate, commonly prescribed to treat the pain, and the volume of internet searches for “leg cramps” from March 2004-April 2012.
As there are safety warnings about quinine in many countries, the authors conclude that physicians may choose to counsel patients to take a ‘quinine holiday’ during the 6 colder months of the year when nocturnal leg cramps are less likely to occur.
Original research paper published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on January 26, 2015.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
