Non-motor features in essential tremor

• Published in: Acta neurologica Scandinavica Vol. 125; no. 5; pp. 332 - 337
• Main Authors: Chandran, V., Pal, P. K., Reddy, J. Y. C., Thennarasu, K., Yadav, R., Shivashankar, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2012; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anxiety; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Chronic Pain - epidemiology; Chronic Pain - physiopathology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Diseases of the nervous system; essential tremor; Essential Tremor - epidemiology; Essential Tremor - physiopathology; Fatigue; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - epidemiology; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - physiopathology; Female; Humans; Inventories; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mood Disorders - epidemiology; Mood Disorders - physiopathology; Neurology; Pain; Prevalence; Quality of life; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Regression analysis; Sleep; Sleep and wakefulness; Sleep Wake Disorders - epidemiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - physiopathology; tremor; Young Adult; Mood disorder; Affect affectivity; Nervous system diseases; Tremor; Depression; Fatigue; Essential; Involuntary movement; Pain; Sleep; essential tremor; Anxiety; Sleep wake cycle; Neurological disorder; quality of life
• ISSN: 0001-6314; 1600-0404; 1600-0404
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2011.01573.x

Introduction –  Essential tremor (ET) is increasingly recognized to have several non‐motor manifestations. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of non‐motor manifestations in ET and its impact on the quality of life (QOL). Methods –  This was a cross‐sectional case–control questionnaire‐based study. The subjects were 50 patients with ET and 50 matched healthy controls. All subjects were assessed by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Parkinson Fatigue Scale, Brief Pain Inventory, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. In addition, QOL in Essential Tremor questionnaire was administered to patients with ET. Results –  Patients with ET, when compared with controls, had significantly higher prevalence and higher mean scores of sleep disturbances (46% vs 8%, P < 0.001; 5.9 ± 4.6 vs 2.6 ± 2.3, P < 0.001), fatigue (30% vs 8%, P = 0.009; 5.8 ± 0.8 vs 2.5 ± 0.4, P < 0.001), anxiety (66% vs 18%, P = 0.009; 7.4 ± 9.0 vs 0.7 ± 2.6, P < 0.001), depression (44% vs 8%, P = 0.009; 7.8 ± 7.9 vs 1.7 ± 3.3, P < 0.001) as well as higher mean score of pain severity (1.9 ± 2.3 vs 0.6 ± 1.2, P = 0.001) and interference owing to pain (2.0 ± 2.9 vs 0.5 ± 1.2, P = 0.001). Following hierarchical regression analysis, depression was the only non‐motor feature that affected the QOL. Conclusion –  There was a significantly higher prevalence and greater severity of sleep disturbances, fatigue, pain, anxiety, and depression in patients with ET and depression significantly affected the QOL.