Differences between essential tremor developing Parkinson's disease and essential tremor Parkinson hastalıǧı gelişltiren esansiyel tremor ile esansiyel tremor arasındaki farklılıklar

Abstract

Objective: Essential tremor (ET) is the most prevalent extrapyramidal disorder and some ET patients may later develop Parkinson's disease (PD). However, up to date, precise association was not determined. To understand the relationship between ET and PD, we investigated differences between patients with ET and ET developing PD (ETPD) in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: One hundred forty-four patients with ET and 336 PD patients were retrospectively assessed from their clinical charts, and their current age, gender, onset age of ET, family history of ET, asymmetrical or symmetrical tremor and history of REM-Sleep Behavior Disorders (REM-SBD) were recorded. Results: Thirty-three patients who had ET prior to PD were evaluated as ETPD patients based on previous clinical records. The mean duration from ET to PD was 12±11.4 years (range: 1-47). There was no difference in gender between the groups. The mean age, the mean age at ET onset, asymmetrical tremor and REM-SBD history were significantly lower in ET patients compared to ETPD patients. The family history of ET and head tremor was more frequent in ET patients than in ETPD. Conclusions: Our results point out that some patients with ET, having asymmetrical tremor, late onset and REM-SBD history may develop PD. © Archives of Neuropsychiatry.