Eina H Eliasen1, Monica Ferrer2, Shahin Gaini3,4,5, Elan D Louis2,6,7, Maria Skaalum Petersen8,3. 1. Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital Systems, Tórshavn, Faeroe Islands, eina@health.fo. 2. Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. 3. Centre for Health Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faeroe Islands. 4. Infectious Diseases Division, National Hospital Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faeroe Islands. 5. Department of Infectious Diseases, Odense University Hospital/University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. 6. Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. 7. Center for Neuroepidemiology and Clinical Neurological Research, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. 8. Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital Systems, Tórshavn, Faeroe Islands.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: No studies of the prevalence of one of the most common movement disorders, essential tremor (ET), have been undertaken in the Faroe Islands. Given the potential for founder effects in the Islands, and the highly genetic nature of ET, the Faroe Islands provide a particularly interesting setting in which to study the prevalence of ET. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of ET and study its characteristics. METHODS: We used a 2-phase, population-based design, screening 1,328 randomly selected Faroese individuals aged ≥40 years. A subsample of 282 individuals who had returned the spirals and questionnaire was selected to participate in an in-person clinical evaluation. Tremor was systematically quantified by a senior movement disorder neurologist with particular specialization in tremor using a reliable and valid clinical rating scale followed by the application of rigorous diagnostic criteria used by tremor investigators internationally. RESULTS: The overall crude prevalence was 2.9%. The age-adjusted prevalence was 3.1%. There was an age-associated rise in prevalence; by age ≥70, prevalence reached 4.8%. Twenty six of 27 (96.2%) were previously undiagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first population-based study of the prevalence of ET in the Faroe Islands. The estimated prevalence was similar to studies using the same or comparable methodologies.
BACKGROUND: No studies of the prevalence of one of the most common movement disorders, essential tremor (ET), have been undertaken in the Faroe Islands. Given the potential for founder effects in the Islands, and the highly genetic nature of ET, the Faroe Islands provide a particularly interesting setting in which to study the prevalence of ET. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of ET and study its characteristics. METHODS: We used a 2-phase, population-based design, screening 1,328 randomly selected Faroese individuals aged ≥40 years. A subsample of 282 individuals who had returned the spirals and questionnaire was selected to participate in an in-person clinical evaluation. Tremor was systematically quantified by a senior movement disorder neurologist with particular specialization in tremor using a reliable and valid clinical rating scale followed by the application of rigorous diagnostic criteria used by tremor investigators internationally. RESULTS: The overall crude prevalence was 2.9%. The age-adjusted prevalence was 3.1%. There was an age-associated rise in prevalence; by age ≥70, prevalence reached 4.8%. Twenty six of 27 (96.2%) were previously undiagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first population-based study of the prevalence of ET in the Faroe Islands. The estimated prevalence was similar to studies using the same or comparable methodologies.
Authors: O Dogu; S Sevim; H Camdeviren; T Sasmaz; R Bugdayci; M Aral; H Kaleagasi; S Un; E D Louis Journal: Neurology Date: 2003-12-23 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: C M Tanner; S M Goldman; K E Lyons; D A Aston; J W Tetrud; M D Welsh; J W Langston; W C Koller Journal: Neurology Date: 2001-10-23 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Elan D Louis; Eina H Eliasen; Christine Y Kim; Monica Ferrer; Shahin Gaini; Maria Skaalum Petersen Journal: Neuroepidemiology Date: 2019-08-20 Impact factor: 3.282
Authors: Christine Y Kim; Maria Skaalum Petersen; Eina H Eliasen; Giovanni Defazio; Paul Greene; Hyder A Jinnah; Marina A J Tijssen; Elan D Louis Journal: Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y) Date: 2019-08-20
Authors: Monica Ferrer; Eina H Eliasen; Maria Skaalum Petersen; Wendy Jiang; Wei Zheng; Elan D Louis Journal: Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y) Date: 2020-08-14