Serious head trauma preceding essential tremor: A population-based study (NEDICES)

Julián Benito-León, Elan D. Louis, Andrés Labiano-Fontcuberta, Félix Bermejo-Pareja

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background An association between head trauma and essential tremor (ET) has not been formally assessed. Our purpose was to assess the association between serious head trauma and ET. Methods History of head trauma was assessed in 274 ET cases and 3201 controls in the Neurological Disorders in Central Spain (NEDICES) study, a population-based study in central Spain. Head trauma was defined as serious only if the subject reported that the trauma resulted in loss of consciousness, hospitalization, or a visit to the emergency department. Results Thirty-two (11.7%) of 274 ET cases vs. 260 (8.1%) of 3201 controls reported a history of serious head trauma (p = 0.04). In an adjusted logistic regression analysis, participants who reported serious head trauma were 52% more likely to have ET (odds ratio [OR] 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-2.27, p = 0.04). The odds of ET increased with increasing age of head trauma: adjusted ORs = 1.23 (95% CI 0.43-3.46, p = 0.70) for serious head trauma that occurred before age 18 years, adjusted OR = 1.49 (95% CI 0.62-3.55, p = 0.37) for serious head trauma between ages 18 to 39 years, and adjusted OR = 1.61 (95% CI 1.00-2.57, p = 0.04) for serious head trauma at age 40 years or older. Conclusions Our study suggests that serious head trauma, especially when it occurs after 40 years, is associated with increased odds of ET. Additional studies are needed to reproduce this novel finding.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)116-121
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of the Neurological Sciences
Volume353
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 15 2015
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Elderly
  • Epidemiology
  • Essential tremor
  • Head trauma
  • Population-based study
  • Risk factors

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology

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