title: Incidence of essential tremor in three elderly populations of central Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the incidence of essential tremor (ET) in three populations in central Spain using data from the Neurologic Disorders in Central Spain (NEDICES), a population-based survey of elderly subjects (65 years and older).
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals were evaluated at baseline (1994 to 1995) and at follow-up (a median of 3.3 years later in 1997 to 1998). The evaluation included a screening question for ET and a neurologic examination, when possible.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 5,278 subjects evaluated at baseline, there were 256 prevalent ET cases. Eighty-three incident ET cases were identified among 3,942 individuals assessed at follow-up. The adjusted annual incidence rate (per 100,000 person-years) in the population aged 65 years and older was 616 (95% CI: 447 to 784). Sixty-four (77.1%) of 83 incident cases had not been diagnosed before our assessment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of ET may be higher than previously recognized because a large proportion of patients with ET may never seek medical attention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Móstoles General Hospital, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain. jbenitol@meditex.es
authors.forename: Julián
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benito-León
authors.forename: Félix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bermejo-Pareja
authors.forename: Elan D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Louis
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D012985:Software Design; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires