The Sydney Multicentre Study of Parkinson's disease: a report on the first 3 years.
One hundred and twenty nine de novo patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease are being followed over a 5 year period in a double-blind multicentre study comparing low-dose bromocriptine (less than 30 mg/day) with low-dose levodopa-carbidopa (less than 600/150 mg/day). Sixty six patients have been randomised to bromocriptine and 63 patients to levodopa-carbidopa. Improvement has been greater in the levodopa-carbidopa group than in the bromocriptine group. Involuntary movements have so far only occurred in patients on levodopa-carbidopa, the incidence being much lower than is usually described with conventional doses. Mild, end-of-dose failure has occurred in both treatment groups; however, no patient has developed the "on-off" phenomenon. Low-dose levodopa-carbidopa appears to be a more effective anti-Parkinsonian treatment than low-dose bromocriptine but more prone to cause dyskinesia.
Hely
M A
MA
Neurology Unit, Westmead Hospital, Wentworthville, NSW, Australia.
Morris
J G
JG
Rail
D
D
Reid
W G
WG
O'Sullivan
D J
DJ
Williamson
P M
PM
Genge
S
S
Broe
G A
GA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002230:Carbidopa / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation
D001971:Bromocriptine; D007980:Levodopa; D002230:Carbidopa