Gabapentin for essential tremor: A multiple-dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Essential tremor (ET) is a common movement disorder that often becomes refr actory to conventional pharmaco; logic management. Open-label studies sugge st that gabapentin is efficacious for ET, but the results of controlled tri als have been mixed. To determine the efficacy and tolerability of gabapent in in ET, we conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial evaluating two doses (1800 mg per day and 3600 mg per day; N = 25). Patien ts on other ET medications were maintained on their concurrent medications for 3 months prior to study initiation and throughout the study. Twenty pat ients (mean age, 69.9 +/- 6.1 yrs) completed the study. Overall, patient gl obal assessments (p <0.05), observed tremor scores (p <0.005), water pourin g scores (p <0.05), and activities of daily living scores (p <0.005) signif icantly improved. Accelerometry scores, spirographs, and investigator globa l impression scores did not improve. The results were similar for high and low doses. Statistical regression models did not demonstrate any significan t predictors for response. Gabapentin may be effective in some cases of ET.