Objective: The primary aim was to investigate the prevalence of OT and OM in PD patients treated at Siriraj hospital. The secondary aim was to compare clinical characteristics and quality of life of the PD patients diagnosed with or without OT or OM.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common movement disorder in which the patients usually have gait and instability problems. Orthostatic tremor (OT) and orthostatic myoclonus (OM) can occur in PD and contribute to these problems. However, there have been no studies on the prevalence of OT and OM in PD patients.

Method: We performed a prospective cross-sectional study including patients who attended Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders clinic at Siriraj hospital, Thailand from August 2022 to January 2023. To investigate the prevalence of OT and OM in PD patients, all participants were assessed using surface electromyography. Baseline characteristics, clinical characteristics, and quality of life were collected and then compared between groups for secondary outcomes.

Results: This study included 105 patients. The prevalence of OT and OM among PD patients was 5.7% (6 out of 105 patients) and 17.1% (18 out of 105 patients), respectively. Age, modified Hoehn and Yahr stage, and UPDRS part 3.4b had statistically significant differences between normal and OT/OM groups.

Conclusion: This is the first study aimed to address prevalence of OT and OM in PD patients. Surprisingly, they are not uncommon.These current results may raise awareness of identifying OT and OM in PD patients. A larger sample size, pathophysiology, clinical follow-up, and optimal treatment are needed to perform in further research in the future.

References: – Adebayo PB. Orthostatic tremor: current challenges and future prospects. Degener Neurol Neuromuscul Dis. 2016;6:17-24.
– Bhatia KP, Bain P, Bajaj N, Elble RJ, Hallett M, Louis ED, et al. Consensus Statement on the classification of tremors. from the task force on tremor of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. Mov Disord. 2018;33(1):75-87.
– Hassan A, Caviness J. Slow Orthostatic Tremor: Review of the Current Evidence. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y). 2019;9.
– Gerschlager W, Münchau A, Katzenschlager R, Brown P, Rothwell JC, Quinn N, et al. Natural history and syndromic associations of orthostatic tremor: a review of 41 patients. Mov Disord. 2004;19(7):788-95.
– Hassan A, van Gerpen JA. Orthostatic Tremor and Orthostatic Myoclonus: Weight-bearing Hyperkinetic Disorders: A Systematic Review, New Insights, and Unresolved Questions. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y). 2016;6:417.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/prevalence-clinical-characteristics-and-quality-of-life-of-orthostatic-tremor-and-orthostatic-myoclonus-in-thai-patients-with-parkinsons-disease-prospective-cross-sectional-study/