Prevalence of essential tremor: A door-to-door survey in Sile, Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of essential tremor (ET) in a Turkish population living in Sile, a rural town located on Black Sea coast of Istanbul. This study was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional field study. People aged 18 years and over were selected for the study. Tremor surveillance questionnaire was applied by door-to-door visits. Subsequently, all subjects who answered the questionnaire had a standard tremor examination. Diagnosis was made based on Washington Heights-Inwood Genetic Study of Essential Tremor (WHIGET) diagnosis and clinical evaluation scale. A total of 2227 people was screened. The prevalence of ET was found to be 3.09% (95% Cl = 2.42-3.91%) in Turkish population aged over 18 years. The prevalence of ET increased by age in both genders. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.