A STUDY OF EFFICACY OF TREATMENT FOR ESSENTIAL TREMOR USING TREMOROGRAPHY

Abstract

Background: Essential tremor is one of the most prevalent extrapyramidal disorders, while treatment efficacy in such patients remains low. Clinical polymorphism of essential tremor requires a differentiated treatment approach, that should be implemented with consideration of objective tremor parameters. Aim: To study efficacy of treatment of essential tremor based on tremorography. Materials and methods: We followed up 85 patients with essential tremor (mean age, 69.05±1.2 years) who were treated with anticonvulsants as monotherapy (primidone or topiramate), or with combination treatment with non-selective beta-blockers (propranolol), anxiolytics (hydroxizine, etifoxine) and aminophenylbutyric acid. During the treatment, we assessed changes in functional status by Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Severity Scale and by tremorography. Results: Under treatment with primidone, there was a decrease in global tremor assessment of postural tremor (p=0.036) and of action tremor (p=0.001). During treatment with topiramate, there was a decrease in global tremor assessment in all tests performed (p<0.0002). Non-specific treatment (anxiolytics) exerted a positive effect on the functional state of patients with essential tremor. Conclusion: Tremor amplitude and duration are the objective parameters that define its severity. The treatment guidelines for essential tremor in the elderly patients have been developed.

Keywords

• essential tremor
• efficacy of treatment
• аnticonvulsants
• primidone
• topiramate