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LONDON (Reuters Health) - In early Parkinson's disease, selegiline and other monoamine oxidase type B inhibitors are cheap and effective treatments that reduce disability and the need for levodopa, according to study findings reported in the August 14th issue of the British Medical Journal. The study also shows that the drugs are not associated with increased mortality, as had been reported in an earlier study. To further examine the risks and benefits of these drugs, University of Birmingham researcher Professor Keith Wheatley and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of 17 randomized, controlled trials involving a total of 3525 patients with early Parkinson's disease. Their analysis showed no significant differences in mortality between patients on monoamine oxidase type B inhibitors and control patients (confidence interval 0.94-1.34). The researchers did find that patients given the drugs had better total scores, motor scores and activities of daily living scores on the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale at 3 months, compared to placebo subjects. Treated patients were also less likely to need extra levodopa or to develop motor fluctuations. "Our review provides no evidence that mortality is increased by selegiline and suggests that this inexpensive drug could be one of the most clinically effective and cost-effective treatments available for early Parkinson's disease," the authors write. The evidence for other drugs in the class is more limited, they add. The report of increased mortality, which came from a UK study in 1995, was probably a chance finding, they suggest--"although the confidence interval reported in this review is compatible with a small increase, or indeed decrease, in mortality." Given this, further large-scale trials comparing monoamine oxidase type B inhibitors with other active agents are urgently needed, the UK investigators conclude. These should include patient-rated quality of life measures. BMJ 2004;329. The above message comes from "Reuters Health", who is solely responsible for its content. ================================== Best, Bob Robert A. Fink, M. D., F.A.C.S., P. C. Neurological Surgery 2500 Milvia Street Suite 222 Berkeley, CA 94704-2636 USA 510-849-2555 FAX: 510-849-2557 <http://www.rafink.com/> "Ex Tristitia Virtus" Disclaimer: That which is written in my e-mail is not to be considered as "medical advice". Such advice can only be given after a formal, in-person, consultation between doctor and patient. ********************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn