BACKGROUND

We describe our experience of using perampanel to treat essential tremor (ET) over 12 months.

METHODS

We enrolled 50 ET patients in an open-label trial. Perampanel was titrated to 4 mg/day as adjuvant therapy. The main outcome measures were baseline, +1, +3, +6, and + 12 month scores of the Tremor Clinical Rating Scale (TCRS) and the Glass scale (GS).

RESULTS

Twenty patients withdrew because of adverse effects. At +1 month, 27 of 30 patients improved: 68% reduction in both TCRS 1 + 2 ( < 0.001) and TCRS 3 ( < 0.001); TCRS 4 + 1.8 and GS 1.1 point reduction. By +12 months non-persistence of therapeutic effect occurred in 70% of patients: the mean reduction in TCRS 1 + 2 was 33% ( = 0.03), TCRS 3 (0.04), TCRS 4 + 0.8, GS 0.2 points reduction.

CONCLUSIONS

We report important peramapanel acute tremorolytic effects, but poor tolerance to adverse effects and a non-sustained therapeutic effect in most patients.