Table 3.
Additional clinical characteristics of 47 patients with a post-evaluation diagnosis of ET versus 57 patients with all other post-evaluation diagnoses.
| Characteristics | Post-evaluation diagnosis = ET (n = 47)* | Post-evaluation diagnosis = not ET (n = 57)* | OR ** (95% confidence interval) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Referral ET diagnosis made by a non-neurologist | 7 (16.3%) | 23 (42.6%) | 3.8 (1.4–10.1) | 0.007 |
| Referral ET diagnosis made <1 year ago | 7 (35.0%) | 19 (55.9%) | 2.4 (0.75–7.4) | 0.14 |
| Onset of tremor <5 years ago | 6 (12.8%) | 23 (40.3%) | 4.6 (1.7–12.7) | 0.003 |
| ET medications tried | 34 (72.3%) | 34 (59.6%) | 1.8 (0.8–4.1) | 0.18 |
| History: unilateral tremor | 1 (2.1%) | 14 (24.6%) | 15.0 (1.9–118.8) | 0.010 |
| History: leg tremor | 1 (2.1%) | 7 (12.3%) | 6.4 (0.8–54.4) | 0.09 |
| History: head tremor only | 0 (0.0%) | 5 (8.8%) | 10.0 (0.5–184.8) | 0.12 |
| History: head tremor started before upper limb tremor | 1 (2.1%) | 5 (8.8%) | 3.9 (0.4–41.3) | 0.26 |
| History: handwriting impaired | 21 (44.7%) | 18 (31.6%) | 1.8 (0.8–3.9) | 0.17 |
| Eastern European Jewish ancestry | 3 (6.4%) | 10 (17.5%) | 3.1 (0.8–12.1) | 0.10 |
| Celtic ancestry | 10 (21.3%) | 10 (17.5%) | 1.3 (0.5–3.4) | 0.63 |
| Examination: unilateral tremor | 0 (0.0%) | 7 (13.0%) | 14.7 (0.8–264.5) | 0.07 |
| Examination: leg tremor | 1 (2.1%) | 4 (7.0%) | 3.5 (0.4–32.2) | 0.27 |
| Examination: head tremor only | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (5.3%) | 6.1 (0.3–121.2) | 0.24 |
| Examination: tremor is irregular | 0 (0.0%) | 19 (33.3%) | 48.1 (2.8–822.9) | 0.008 |
| Examination: rest tremor | 7 (14.9%) | 16 (28.1%) | 2.2 (0.8–6.0) | 0.11 |
| Examination: head tremor improves while lying down | 8 (17.0%) | 9 (15.8%) | 1.2 (0.4–4.3) | 0.73 |
| Examination: head tremor has a directional quality | 3 (6.4%) | 12 (21.1%) | 3.9 (1.0–14.8) | 0.045 |
| Examination: abnormal limb postures | 13 (27.7%) | 35 (61.4%) | 4.1 (1.8–9.6) | 0.001 |
| Examination: focal muscle hypertrophy | 1 (2.1%) | 8 (14.0%) | 7.5 (0.9–62.4) | 0.062 |
| Examination: one or more cardinal features of PD | 3 (6.4%) | 15 (26.3%) | 5.2 (1.4–19.4) | 0.013 |
| Examination: reduced arm swing | 13 (27.7%) | 18 (31.6%) | 1.2 (0.5–2.8) | 0.66 |
| Examination: slow rapid alternating movements | 8 (17.0%) | 17 (30.0%) | 2.1 (0.8–5.4) | 0.13 |
| Examination: intention tremor | 31 (66.0%) | 24 (42.1%) | 0.4 (0.2–0.8) | 0.016 |
| Examination: single axis on the spiral test | 33 (82.5%) | 12 (27.3%) | 0.1 (0.03–0.2) | 0.001 |
| Examination: multiple axes on the spiral test | 2 (5.0%) | 13 (29.5%) | 8.0 (1.7–38.0) | 0.009 |
| Examination: voice breaks or spasmodic voice | 0 (0.0%) | 6 (10.5%) | 21.0 (1.0–438.3) | 0.0495 |
ET, essential tremor; OR, odds ratio.
*
In a small number of patients, data were missing. Percentages and ORs reflect the n with complete data.
**
OR reflects non-ET/ET.