Objective: To determine prevalence and severity of tremor in patients with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP).

Background: Tremor is an underrecognized and possibly disabling symptom of CIDP. There is limited data regarding prevalence and severity of tremor in CIDP patients, and results vary.

Method: Patients were recruited at the outpatient clinic of the Amsterdam UMC, an expertise center for both CIDP and movement disorders. All patients with CIDP (EFNS/PNS 2010 criteria and/or EAN/PNS 2021 criteria) were consecutively recruited from 2018 onwards. Patients specifically referred to our center because of a tremor accompanying CIDP were excluded.

Prevalence of current tremor (sum score of ≥1 on part A and B of the Fahn–Tolosa–Marin rating scale (FTM)) and lifetime prevalence (either current tremor on the FTM or patient reported previous tremor) were determined. Tremor severity was quantitatively described using the FTM part A and B total sum score (range 0-124). Severe extremity tremor was defined as a tremor amplitude of >4 cm in one or more extremities. Additional analyses were performed after exclusion of patients with a possible other etiology of tremor (positive family history and/or possible medication induced tremor).

Results: We recruited 100 patients with CIDP (67% men, median age 62). The prevalence of current tremor was 65% and lifetime tremor prevalence was 71%. The FTM part A and B total sum score ranges are shown in the Figure. Two patients had a severe extremity tremor. Results were similar after exclusion of 18 patients with a possible other etiology of the tremor than the neuropathy.

Conclusion: The prevalence of tremor in patients with CIPD was high and the severity ranged from mild to severe. This indicates that tremor in CIDP should receive attention during clinical consultations and that further research is needed to gain more insight into different aspects of tremor in CIDP, such as tremor characteristics and etiology, associated disability and treatment.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/tremor-in-patients-with-chronic-inflammatory-demyelinating-polyneuropathy-prevalence-and-severity/