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Spectral Analysis of Lithium Tremor

Cakmakli, Gül Yalcin ; Ayhan, Yavuz ; Yazici, M. Kâzım and Sahin, Gürdal LU orcid (2021) In Archives of Neuropsychiatry 58. p.268-273
Abstract
Introduction: Lithium has proven efficacy in bipolar affective disorder (BAD) but induces tremor as a side effect in a quarter of patients. Lithium tremor (LT) shares some clinical characteristics of essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease tremor (PT), which might cause difficulties in differential diagnosis. Furthermore, current knowledge of LT is lacking detailed electrophysiological characterization. Here, we present detailed spectral attributes of accelerometric tremor recordings as a diagnostic tool for LT.
Methods: 10 patients (7 males, 3 females) between ages of 29–68, who were on lithium for BAD for 2–12 years, were evaluated for hand tremor with the spectral analysis of accelerometric recordings with different postures.... (More)
Introduction: Lithium has proven efficacy in bipolar affective disorder (BAD) but induces tremor as a side effect in a quarter of patients. Lithium tremor (LT) shares some clinical characteristics of essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease tremor (PT), which might cause difficulties in differential diagnosis. Furthermore, current knowledge of LT is lacking detailed electrophysiological characterization. Here, we present detailed spectral attributes of accelerometric tremor recordings as a diagnostic tool for LT.
Methods: 10 patients (7 males, 3 females) between ages of 29–68, who were on lithium for BAD for 2–12 years, were evaluated for hand tremor with the spectral analysis of accelerometric recordings with different postures. Tremor severity was rated clinically on WHIGET (Washington Heights-Inwood Genetic Study of Essential Tremor) scale. Results were analyzed in comparison to results of ET (n=19) and PT (n=19) patients from our database.
Results: LT was most prominent at extensor postures with an average peak frequency (PF) of 8.0±0.3 Hz and an extremely low amplitude, high harmonic components and high noise level. The average PF of LT was similar to that of ET (7.3±0.4 Hz), but higher than that of PT (5.3±0.2 Hz) (p<0.0001). With weight loading, the PF of LT showed an increase of 1.3 Hz. Average amplitude of PT was higher than that of both LT and ET (p<0.0001); harmonic components of LT was comparable to PT whereas noise levels were similar to that of ET. Mean WHIGET score of LT (6.5±0.5) was significantly lower than that of ET (13.1±1) (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: Electrophysiological features detected by accelerometry may help in differential diagnosis of LT from ET and PT.
Keywords: Lithium tremor, accelerometry, tremorogram, peak frequency, harmonic components (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Archives of Neuropsychiatry
volume
58
pages
268 - 273
publisher
Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society
external identifiers
  • scopus:85120714167
ISSN
1309-4866
DOI
10.29399/npa.27378
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
47ebc450-0dd0-4963-9634-0d5caa23a257
alternative location
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8665296/pdf/archneuro-58-268.pdf
date added to LUP
2021-05-12 22:58:41
date last changed
2023-12-19 10:25:47
@article{47ebc450-0dd0-4963-9634-0d5caa23a257,
  abstract     = {{Introduction: Lithium has proven efficacy in bipolar affective disorder (BAD) but induces tremor as a side effect in a quarter of patients. Lithium tremor (LT) shares some clinical characteristics of essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease tremor (PT), which might cause difficulties in differential diagnosis. Furthermore, current knowledge of LT is lacking detailed electrophysiological characterization. Here, we present detailed spectral attributes of accelerometric tremor recordings as a diagnostic tool for LT.<br>
Methods: 10 patients (7 males, 3 females) between ages of 29–68, who were on lithium for BAD for 2–12 years, were evaluated for hand tremor with the spectral analysis of accelerometric recordings with different postures. Tremor severity was rated clinically on WHIGET (Washington Heights-Inwood Genetic Study of Essential Tremor) scale. Results were analyzed in comparison to results of ET (n=19) and PT (n=19) patients from our database.<br>
Results: LT was most prominent at extensor postures with an average peak frequency (PF) of 8.0±0.3 Hz and an extremely low amplitude, high harmonic components and high noise level. The average PF of LT was similar to that of ET (7.3±0.4 Hz), but higher than that of PT (5.3±0.2 Hz) (p&lt;0.0001). With weight loading, the PF of LT showed an increase of 1.3 Hz. Average amplitude of PT was higher than that of both LT and ET (p&lt;0.0001); harmonic components of LT was comparable to PT whereas noise levels were similar to that of ET. Mean WHIGET score of LT (6.5±0.5) was significantly lower than that of ET (13.1±1) (p&lt;0.0001).<br>
Conclusion: Electrophysiological features detected by accelerometry may help in differential diagnosis of LT from ET and PT.<br>
Keywords: Lithium tremor, accelerometry, tremorogram, peak frequency, harmonic components}},
  author       = {{Cakmakli, Gül Yalcin and Ayhan, Yavuz and Yazici, M. Kâzım and Sahin, Gürdal}},
  issn         = {{1309-4866}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{268--273}},
  publisher    = {{Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society}},
  series       = {{Archives of Neuropsychiatry}},
  title        = {{Spectral Analysis of Lithium Tremor}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.29399/npa.27378}},
  doi          = {{10.29399/npa.27378}},
  volume       = {{58}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}