Upper-extremity disability in essential tremor.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the extent of disability in subjects with essential tremor (ET) using time-based, standardized measures of upper-extremity function.


METHODS
Descriptive case series.


METHODS
Motor performance research laboratory.


METHODS
Thirty subjects with ET (mean age, 58.3+/-13.7 y) and 28 healthy controls (mean age, 58.4+/-12.4 y).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
We assessed upper-extremity function using the Box and Block Test, Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT), and Test Evaluant la performance des Membres supérieurs des Personnes Agées (TEMPA). We measured tremor severity with laser displacement sensors.


RESULTS
Subjects with ET-type tremor in 1 or both hands performed significantly worse than controls on all unilateral and bilateral tasks (P range, .038-.001) except on the PPT for the dominant side. ET subjects without ET-type tremor in the dominant hand also performed significantly worse than controls on the TEMPA unilateral tasks (P=.043). Performance on the 3 functional measures correlated moderately with tremor severity for the nondominant hand.


CONCLUSIONS
Subjects with ET show measurable disability on time-based measures of upper-extremity function. However, our findings are consistent with other reports that tremor severity does not correlate well with disability, especially with regard to the dominant upper extremity.
Héroux
Martin E
ME
School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Parisi
Sarah L
SL
Larocerie-Salgado
Juliana
J
Norman
Kathleen E
KE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis