E D Louis1. 1. Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. EDL2@columbia.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Essential tremor (ET) is amongst the most commonly misdiagnosed neurological diseases. The current aim was to provide observational data on a basic characteristic of ET, namely, the relative severity of postural to kinetic tremor. METHODS: A total of 369 ET cases were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Postural tremor scores (0-3) and kinetic tremor scores (0-3) were assigned during a standardized neurological examination. RESULTS: In the vast bulk of cases (~95%), kinetic tremor was more severe than postural tremor. In nearly one-in-three cases (32.8%), the kinetic tremor score was ≥ 1 points higher than the postural tremor score. Conversely, in only a few cases (~5%) was postural tremor even marginally (<1 point) more severe than kinetic tremor, and in no case was the postural tremor score ≥ 1 point higher than the kinetic tremor score. At each postural tremor score, nearly all cases had that amount of kinetic tremor or more. CONCLUSION: The primary type of tremor in ET is kinetic rather than postural. Recognition of the simple, empirical features of tremor phenomenology has potential diagnostic value for practicing clinicians.
BACKGROUND: Essential tremor (ET) is amongst the most commonly misdiagnosed neurological diseases. The current aim was to provide observational data on a basic characteristic of ET, namely, the relative severity of postural to kinetic tremor. METHODS: A total of 369 ET cases were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Postural tremor scores (0-3) and kinetic tremor scores (0-3) were assigned during a standardized neurological examination. RESULTS: In the vast bulk of cases (~95%), kinetic tremor was more severe than postural tremor. In nearly one-in-three cases (32.8%), the kinetic tremor score was ≥ 1 points higher than the postural tremor score. Conversely, in only a few cases (~5%) was postural tremor even marginally (<1 point) more severe than kinetic tremor, and in no case was the postural tremor score ≥ 1 point higher than the kinetic tremor score. At each postural tremor score, nearly all cases had that amount of kinetic tremor or more. CONCLUSION: The primary type of tremor in ET is kinetic rather than postural. Recognition of the simple, empirical features of tremor phenomenology has potential diagnostic value for practicing clinicians.
Authors: K Ray Chaudhuri; M Buxton-Thomas; V Dhawan; R Peng; C Meilak; D J Brooks Journal: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry Date: 2005-01 Impact factor: 10.154
Authors: Elan D Louis; Sheng-Han Kuo; William J Tate; Geoffrey C Kelly; Jesus Gutierrez; Etty P Cortes; Jean-Paul G Vonsattel; Phyllis L Faust Journal: Cerebellum Date: 2018-04 Impact factor: 3.847
Authors: Martin Bareš; Richard Apps; Laura Avanzino; Assaf Breska; Egidio D'Angelo; Pavel Filip; Marcus Gerwig; Richard B Ivry; Charlotte L Lawrenson; Elan D Louis; Nicholas A Lusk; Mario Manto; Warren H Meck; Hiroshi Mitoma; Elijah A Petter Journal: Cerebellum Date: 2019-04 Impact factor: 3.847