Duodenal levoclopa infusion improves quality of life in advanced Parkinson's disease

Background: A significant percentage of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) continue to experience motor fluctuations and clyskinesias despite the association of dopamine agonists and levodopa with COMT or MAO-B inhibitors. The use of apomorphine infusion is limited by compliance while deep brain stimulation is feasible only for a small number of patients mostly because of age constraints. Objective:To assess prospectively the effectiveness of duodenal levodopa infusion on quality of life as well as motorfeatures in patients with advanced PD. In all but I case levodopa infusion was stopped at nighttime. Methods: We report the outcome of 22 PD patients, followed for up to 2 years, who were on continuous duodenal levodopa/carbidopa infusion through percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. Results: We found a significant reduction in 'off' period duration as well as dyskinesia severity (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part IV, items 33 and 39). There was significant improvement in the 39-item Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire as well as in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part 11 up to the 2-year follow-up. Five patients with drew: 2 for poor compliance and 3 for adverse events (1 was related to percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy). Conclusions: These results demonstrate significant clinical improvements in quality of life and activities of daily living consistent with the occurrence of a satisfactory therapeutic response and a reduction in dyskinesia severity. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.