Selegiline (1-deprenyl) and low-dose levodopa treatment of Parkinson's disease. A double-blind crossover trial.
Fifteen parkinsonian patients previously untreated with levodopa were treated with daily doses of 200 mg Madopar and randomized to addition of 10 mg selegiline (1-deprenyl) in a double-blind, placebo controlled, crossover trial. According to the patients own evaluations 6 reported additional therapeutic effect from selegiline to Madopar; 2 reported possible additional effect, whereas a further 6 reported no improvement; 1 did not complete the trial. Statistically significant positive therapeutic effect of selegiline could not be found on Webster's rating scale or on a sensimotoric test designed for parkinsonian disabilities. Side effects of selegiline were minimal. It is concluded that selegiline may be of some value in addition to levodopa in early treatment of parkinsonian patients, but positive therapeutic effect has to be tested individually. Even in these patients the additional therapeutic effect of selegiline to levodopa seems to be quantitatively small.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010919:Placebos; D011897:Random Allocation; D012642:Selegiline / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010627:Phenethylamines; D010919:Placebos; D012642:Selegiline; D007980:Levodopa