DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS OF PARKINSON DISEASE AND ESSENTIAL TREMOR

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the differential features of Essential Tremor and Parkinson Disease.Materials and Methods: 205 consecutive patients with idiopathic Parkinson Disease (PD) and 29 patients with Essential Tremor (ET) were questioned at time of routine clinic visits.Results and Summary: There was a more rapid disease progression in patient with PD and a more benign disease progression in patients with ET. The incidence and severity of pathology according to the cutting food and handling utensils, dressing, hygiene, intellectual impairment, thought disorder, and motivation/initiative subscales were significantly higher in PD patients than in ET patients. Symptomatic orthostatic hypotension, constipation, olfactory dysfunction, and vivid dreaming were significantly more common in PD patients than in ET patients. In all probability, all of these symptoms in combination with other diagnostic features (characteristics of tremor, the presence or absence of bradykinesia, etc.) can be used for the differential diagnosis of Parkinson Disease.

Keywords

• parkinson disease
• essential tremor
• differential diagnosis
• progression