Gait Velocity Alterations in Essential Tremor: a Meta-Analysis

Essential tremor (ET) is a prevalent movement disorder that impairs gait function, including gait speed - a critical marker of mobility disability and adverse outcomes. This meta-analysis aimed to quantify differences in gait speed between individuals diagnosed with ET compared to people without a movement disorder diagnosis. Electronic databases were searched for studies comparing gait speed in ET patients and controls. Effect sizes were calculated using standardized mean differences (Hedges’ g) and pooled using a random-effects model. Eight studies (390 ET, 227 controls) were included. ET patients exhibited significantly slower gait speeds than controls. The effect size (Hedges’ g = -1.06, 95% CI -1.47 to -0.65, p < .001) indicates a large, clinically significant difference. Substantial study heterogeneity was observed (I2 = 76.9%). These findings suggest that gait speed deficits are a significant feature of ET, potentially reflecting cerebellar dysfunction. This highlights the need for gait assessment and targeted interventions in ET management to reduce fall risk and improve quality of life. Understanding the moderating factors such as medication type and state, disorder severity, and age could provide significant benefits in the treatment and management of ET.