THE EFFECT OF PRAMIPEXOLE ON PARKINSON'S DISEASE

13th June 2013 - New research

Lancet Neurology [2013] May 30 [Epub ahead of print] (A.H.Schapira, M.P.McDermott, P.Barone, C.L.Comella, S.Albrecht, H.H.Hsu, D.H.Massey, Y.Mizuno, W.Poewe, O.Rascol, K.Marek)  

The Pramipexole On Underlying Disease (PROUD) study was designed to identify whether or not early versus delayed pramipexole initiation has clinical benefits in people with Parkinson's Disease. Pramipexole, which is sold as Mirapex, Mirapexin and Sifrol, is a dopamine agonist used for treating early-stage Parkinson's Disease. For more information go to Mirapex.

People taking pramipexole were given 1.5mg pramipexole per day. The average difference in Parkinson's Disease symptom scores (the UPDRS) showed no significant difference between early and delayed pramipexole. Fifteen months of use showed no benefit when compared to the use of pramipexole being delayed for 6 to 9 months. Over 80% of people who took pramipexole reported adverse events, with 81% of those given early pramipexole and 84% of those given delayed pramipexole. The most frequent adverse event was nausea.  Serious adverse events were reported by 10% of people in the early pramipexole group and 8% in the delayed pramipexole group. The authors conclude that the results do not support the hypothesis that pramipexole has disease-modifying effects.