Objective: To analyze the improvement in quality of life (QOL) and treatment´s satisfaction patients with essential tremor (ET) treated with HIFU thalamotomy.

Background: Tremor is a clinical entity that has an impact on several domains of QOL. Considering its broad impact, it is important to judge the efficacy of available treatments for tremor.

Method: Thirty patients were included in the study (from December 2015 to July 2018). We evaluated change in QOL and patient’s satisfaction after MRgFUS thalamotomy through different scales: administered to the neurologist: Fahn-Tolosa-Marin (FTM) (part A items: tremor severity, part B items: tremor severity in writing , drawings and pouring liquids and part C items: functional disability) and Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI), self-administered patients: QUEST (QOL), HADS (anxiety and depression), EQ-5D- 5L, ECSIT, modified TSQM 1.4 (satisfaction with treatment) and GI-P (Global Impression-Patients) an self-administered caregiver: Zarit (caregiver burden), HADS and GI-C (Global Impression-Caregivers). Statistical comparisons were performed using nonparametric statistics.

Results: All FTM subscales improved significantly (p<0.001). Quality of life (QUEST) showed a significant improvement after treatment (p<0.001). According to the CGI, in the 92% of cases both patient and neurologist agreed in reporting a clinical improvement after treatment. Patients are satisfied with HIFU treatment (around 7.6 out of 10) and the satisfaction regarding with the expectation was around 7.5 out of 10.

Conclusion: HIFU thalamotomy improves QOL and reduces disability in all daily life activities. Longer follow-up is needed in order to determine long-term benefits of HIFU thalamotomy.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/satisfaction-and-impact-on-quality-of-life-in-patients-with-essential-tremor-treated-with-high-intensity-focused-ultrasound-hifu-thalamotomy/