Are tremors in old age, really senile? a hospital based study

ABSTRACT

To study the frequency and severity of tremors in otherwise healthy elderly adults at Sind Government Hospital Liaqatabad, Karachi. This cross-sectional study, was conducted at the Sindh government hospital, Liaquatabad, Karachi from October, 2007-2009. Five hundred otherwise healthy adults of both genders of more than 60 years were selected. After thorough clinical examination, classification and the severity of tremors were assessed by tasks given to the patients by principal investigator which he designed himself. All variables were put in proper register. Data entry and analysis was performed by single researcher on SPSS 16 for biostatistics. The inclusion criteria were adults of more than 60 years of either gender with no history of any systematic or neurological illness and presently not on drugs. The exclusion criteria were disputed age groups and those who cannot sign or write their names because they cannot be assessed by tasks. The mean age was 68.75 years +/- 6.74 with male female ratio of 1.951. Out of 500 subjects 84 [16.8%] showed no tremors, 307 [64.4%] had mild tremors only evident on special movements i.e. enhanced physiological tremors [physiological senile tremors] and 109 [21.8%] had moderate to severe tremors evident on movements i.e. kinetic, essential tremors [pathological senile tremors], with family history of 50.45%. Tremors in old age are not part of life. Most of them had enhanced physiological tremors while few were of essential type with strong family history. If these are detected, they should be evaluated and classified and can be managed to make elderly population more useful to their family and the society