Prevalence estimation of essential tremor in Hungary between 2010 and 2020 based on the National Health Insurance Fund Database

Abstract The published prevalence of essential tremor is variable worldwide and lacking in Central Europe. We aimed to estimate its prevalence in Hungary and to explore the locally applied therapeutic approaches. We collected data from the National Health Insurance Fund database and pharmacy databas...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Andrea Kinga Papp, Ádám József Berki, Péter Vinnai, András Ajtay, Dániel Bereczki, Loránd Erőss, Gertrúd Tamás
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13145-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849235556223942656
author Andrea Kinga Papp
Ádám József Berki
Péter Vinnai
András Ajtay
Dániel Bereczki
Loránd Erőss
Gertrúd Tamás
author_facet Andrea Kinga Papp
Ádám József Berki
Péter Vinnai
András Ajtay
Dániel Bereczki
Loránd Erőss
Gertrúd Tamás
author_sort Andrea Kinga Papp
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The published prevalence of essential tremor is variable worldwide and lacking in Central Europe. We aimed to estimate its prevalence in Hungary and to explore the locally applied therapeutic approaches. We collected data from the National Health Insurance Fund database and pharmacy database registered between 2010 and 2020. Matching the specified codes of the International Classification of Diseases and the individually tailored combination of interventions, we attempted to exclude Parkinson’s disease and other tremor evoking conditions. We estimated the period prevalence of essential tremor age standardized to the European Standard Population at 378–388/100,000. After excluding patients with possible Parkinsonian syndromes, we found that 36.4% of patients with tremor did not take any medication during the study period. Most of the rest used alprazolam followed by propranolol for the longest period of time; the alprazolam and propranolol combination was the most preferred. Deep brain stimulation and ablative surgery were chosen for less than 0.5% of the patients. Our strict methods probably underestimate the essential tremor prevalence in Hungary, which, however, does not differ considerably from international results. Given the limitations of medication therapy, expanding and improving neurosurgical interventions may help improve the quality of life of patients with essential tremor.
format Article
id doaj-art-78f24f5b105b489ea05d72f6037b34e1
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-78f24f5b105b489ea05d72f6037b34e12025-08-20T04:02:45ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-13145-6Prevalence estimation of essential tremor in Hungary between 2010 and 2020 based on the National Health Insurance Fund DatabaseAndrea Kinga Papp0Ádám József Berki1Péter Vinnai2András Ajtay3Dániel Bereczki4Loránd Erőss5Gertrúd Tamás6Department of Neurology, Semmelweis UniversityDepartment of Neurology, Semmelweis UniversityHUN-REN SU Neuroepidemiological Research GroupDepartment of Neurology, Semmelweis UniversityDepartment of Neurology, Semmelweis UniversityDepartment of Neurosurgery and Neurointervention, Semmelweis UniversityDepartment of Neurology, Semmelweis UniversityAbstract The published prevalence of essential tremor is variable worldwide and lacking in Central Europe. We aimed to estimate its prevalence in Hungary and to explore the locally applied therapeutic approaches. We collected data from the National Health Insurance Fund database and pharmacy database registered between 2010 and 2020. Matching the specified codes of the International Classification of Diseases and the individually tailored combination of interventions, we attempted to exclude Parkinson’s disease and other tremor evoking conditions. We estimated the period prevalence of essential tremor age standardized to the European Standard Population at 378–388/100,000. After excluding patients with possible Parkinsonian syndromes, we found that 36.4% of patients with tremor did not take any medication during the study period. Most of the rest used alprazolam followed by propranolol for the longest period of time; the alprazolam and propranolol combination was the most preferred. Deep brain stimulation and ablative surgery were chosen for less than 0.5% of the patients. Our strict methods probably underestimate the essential tremor prevalence in Hungary, which, however, does not differ considerably from international results. Given the limitations of medication therapy, expanding and improving neurosurgical interventions may help improve the quality of life of patients with essential tremor.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13145-6EpidemiologyEssential tremorHungaryPrevalenceTherapyTremor
spellingShingle Andrea Kinga Papp
Ádám József Berki
Péter Vinnai
András Ajtay
Dániel Bereczki
Loránd Erőss
Gertrúd Tamás
Prevalence estimation of essential tremor in Hungary between 2010 and 2020 based on the National Health Insurance Fund Database
Scientific Reports
Epidemiology
Essential tremor
Hungary
Prevalence
Therapy
Tremor
title Prevalence estimation of essential tremor in Hungary between 2010 and 2020 based on the National Health Insurance Fund Database
title_full Prevalence estimation of essential tremor in Hungary between 2010 and 2020 based on the National Health Insurance Fund Database
title_fullStr Prevalence estimation of essential tremor in Hungary between 2010 and 2020 based on the National Health Insurance Fund Database
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence estimation of essential tremor in Hungary between 2010 and 2020 based on the National Health Insurance Fund Database
title_short Prevalence estimation of essential tremor in Hungary between 2010 and 2020 based on the National Health Insurance Fund Database
title_sort prevalence estimation of essential tremor in hungary between 2010 and 2020 based on the national health insurance fund database
topic Epidemiology
Essential tremor
Hungary
Prevalence
Therapy
Tremor
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13145-6
work_keys_str_mv AT andreakingapapp prevalenceestimationofessentialtremorinhungarybetween2010and2020basedonthenationalhealthinsurancefunddatabase
AT adamjozsefberki prevalenceestimationofessentialtremorinhungarybetween2010and2020basedonthenationalhealthinsurancefunddatabase
AT petervinnai prevalenceestimationofessentialtremorinhungarybetween2010and2020basedonthenationalhealthinsurancefunddatabase
AT andrasajtay prevalenceestimationofessentialtremorinhungarybetween2010and2020basedonthenationalhealthinsurancefunddatabase
AT danielbereczki prevalenceestimationofessentialtremorinhungarybetween2010and2020basedonthenationalhealthinsurancefunddatabase
AT lorandeross prevalenceestimationofessentialtremorinhungarybetween2010and2020basedonthenationalhealthinsurancefunddatabase
AT gertrudtamas prevalenceestimationofessentialtremorinhungarybetween2010and2020basedonthenationalhealthinsurancefunddatabase