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6th International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders June 13, 2000 Clinical trials in Parkinson's disease: new releases Ropinirole vs l-dopa in early Parkinson's disease: the randomized controlled 056 study O. Rascol (Toulouse, F) This prospective, randomised, double-blind, parallel-group study compared the long-term safety and efficacy of ropinirole, a D2 dopamine agonist, with L-dopa (MADOPARâ) over 5 years in 268 early de novo PD patients. Patients with insufficient therapeutic benefit could supplement double-blind medication with open L-dopa. 34% of were 16.5mg (SD 6.6) ropinirole and 427.2mg (SD 220.8) adjunct open L-dopa. In the L-dopa group, the dose was 753.3mg (SD 397.5). The incidences of dyskinesias in the ropinirole and L-dopa groups, regardless of whether adjunct open L-dopa, were 20% and 46%, respectively (odds ratio 3.8, 95% CI [2.1, 6.9], P<0.0001. The mean ADL scores in both groups remained similar to each other at each timepoint during the study. Forty-eight (27%) ropinirole patients and 26 (29%) L-dopa patients withdrew from the study prematurely as a result of adverse experiences. These adverse experiences were typical for dopaminergic agents These results show that patients with early PD are successfully managed on ropinirole with a low dose of adjunct L-dopa added later, for up to 5 years. The risk of developing dyskinesias was substantially reduced in patients receiving ropinirole, compared to those treated with L-dopa from the outset.