Objectives: To assess the prevalence of essential tremor (ET) in two Spanish populations (Irun and Hondarribia, Bidasoa region) and to compare the results with those of similar surveys.
Methods: The survey included 2,000 participants aged 65 years or older in a door-to-door, two-phase design. ET was defined as postural or kinetic tremor of the head or limbs.
Results: ET prevalence after age adjustment was 4.8% (95% confidence interval, 3.6-6.4). Prevalence increased significantly with age and there were no sex differences.
Conclusions: The age-adjusted prevalence rate of ET in people 65 years old and older in Bidasoa, Spain, is close to those described in other studies using a similar design and suggest no geographical variation. ET prevalence increases with age and has a similar distribution in males and females.
Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.