LIQUID L-DOPA FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE

May 17, 2017

Liquid L-dopa is usually taken as a combination of L-dopa, carbidopa, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in a solution called LCAS. Therapy with liquid L-dopa has been used in people with advanced Parkinson's Disease for many years. However, long-term follow-up information is scarce. The present study aimed to determine the long-term retention rate for LCAS therapy, and to identify the causes of LCAS therapy withdrawal.

People with Parkinson's Disease were assessed who had undergone LCAS treatment to alleviate motor complications that were not controlled by optimised conventional Parkinson's Disease treatments. The three main reasons for discontinuation of LCAS treatment were worsening of wearing-off symptoms, persistent dyskinesia, and poor drug adherence. However, there were a small number of each of these. Around 37% of people maintained the LCAS treatment after 12 months. In those people, on time without dyskinesia significantly increased from 33% to 57% after the initiation of LCAS treatment. Around 31% of patients were still receiving LCAS treatment after 30 months. 

Reference : Journal of Neurological Science [2017] 377 : 6-11 (H.J.Yang, G.Ehm, Y.E.Kim, J.Y.Yun, W.W.Lee, A.Kim, H.J.Kim, B.Jeon)

Complete abstract : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28477709 

http://www.viartis.net/parkinsons.disease/news/170517.pdf