Benign tremulous Parkinson's disease

• Published in: Acta neurologica Belgica Vol. 108; no. 2; p. 48
• Main Authors: Leventoglu, Alev, Baysal, Ali Ihsan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy 01.06.2008
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Disease Progression; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Parkinson Disease - complications; Parkinson Disease - physiopathology; Tremor - etiology
• ISSN: 0300-9009

To analyze the long-term outcomes of patients presenting with pure parkinsonian tremor and to determine whether or not such patients develop the other features of Parkinson's disease (PD) eventually. Two hundred fifty-one patients with PD followed at our referral center were examined regularly. In this study, we evaluated the long-term follow up of the the patients with parkinsonian tremor without bradykinesia or rigidity. The mean disease duration was 5 years (range: 2-10 yrs.) at the last follow-up visit. This final group included 7 female and 16 male patients with a mean age of 66.6 +/- 10.8 years. Four groups of patients were identified. First group consisted of 15 patients presenting with rest tremor; most prominently in one upper limb and/or contra-lateral upper limb. In the second group, there were 3 patients who had parkinsonian tremor with greatest severity in one lower limb and ipsilateral upper limb. Group 3 comprised 2 patients who had parkinsonian tremor in only one lower limb. The fourth group comprised 3 patients with isolated jaw tremor. Some patients with pure parkinsonian tremor may remain without bradykinesia or rigidity for a long time, which may be considered a benign form of Parkinson's disease.