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ABSTRACT: Background
Idiopathic head tremor syndrome is a paroxysmal movement disorder of unknown etiology. Spontaneous remission may occur, but owners may request treatment in severely affected dogs with continued episodes. Controlled studies of the disease are not available.Hypothesis/objectives
A drug with gamma amino butyric acid-ergic and anxiolytic effects will decrease head tremor episodes.Animals
Twenty-four dogs with severe nonremitting head tremor and presumptive clinical diagnosis of idiopathic head tremor syndrome.Methods
Prospective, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial to compare imepitoin with placebo in dogs with frequent episodes of idiopathic head tremor. Evaluation of efficacy used the quotient T2/T1 that represented prolongation of the head tremor-free period compared to a 3-month baseline. A dog was considered a responder if tremors subsided or if the head tremor-free period was 3× longer than the longest period during baseline (T2/T1 ≥ 3). Sample size calculations considered a large effect of imepitoin on T2/T1 (Cohen's d = 0.8).Results
There were no responders in the placebo group (0/12). In the imepitoin group, the responder rate was 17% (2/12; P = .18) with T2/T1 3.8 and 4.0. Mean T2/T1 was 1.0 ± 1.4 in the imepitoin and 0.4 ± 0.4 in the placebo group (P = .37).Conclusion and clinical importance
Imepitoin did not result in a significant overall benefit. Future studies should focus on treatment of subgroups with a common pathophysiology and similar comorbidities.
SUBMITTER: Schneider N
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7694850 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Schneider Nina N Potschka Heidrun H Reese Sven S Wielaender Franziska F Fischer Andrea A
Journal of veterinary internal medicine 20201107 6
<h4>Background</h4>Idiopathic head tremor syndrome is a paroxysmal movement disorder of unknown etiology. Spontaneous remission may occur, but owners may request treatment in severely affected dogs with continued episodes. Controlled studies of the disease are not available.<h4>Hypothesis/objectives</h4>A drug with gamma amino butyric acid-ergic and anxiolytic effects will decrease head tremor episodes.<h4>Animals</h4>Twenty-four dogs with severe nonremitting head tremor and presumptive clinical ...[more]