title: Utilization of predefined stimulation groups by essential tremor patients treated with VIM-DBS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the utilization and general acceptance of switching between predefined stimulation groups in essential tremor (ET) patients treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of the thalamus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight patients treated with VIM-DBS completed a telephone survey. This was designed to identify the general utilization of patient controllers and the specific usage of stimulation groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight patients were interviewed via phone. More than half (21 of 38 patients, 55%) of all contacted ET patients were aware of the possibility of switching between pre-defined stimulation programs themselves. Again, more than half of these patients (13 of the 21 patients) switch between the different programs on a regular basis (8 monthly, 2 weekly, and 3 daily), mainly due to occurring side effects. Age did not differ between the group of patients switching between stimulation groups, and those who did not (65.38 years (±11.36) vs. 69.15 years (±9.92), p = 0.297).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some patients frequently use different stimulation settings, mainly to be able to control side effects when necessary. All patients - independent of their age - and especially patients with stimulation induced side effects, should therefore be informed about the possibility to switch between predefined stimulation groups. We propose a training for patients by specialized nurses, to give them confidence in handling the patient controllers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Cognitive Neuroscience (INM3), Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Centre Jülich, Germany. Electronic address: michael.barbe@uk-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Barbe
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Jil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pochmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Catharine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Center Godeshoehe, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Allert
authors.affiliation: Department of Stereotaxy and Functional Neurosurgery, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wirths
authors.affiliation: Department of Stereotaxy and Functional Neurosurgery, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Veerle
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Visser-Vandewalle
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Timmermann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D020646:Intralaminar Thalamic Nuclei / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Deep brain stimulation; Patient controller; Side effects