A comparison of bromocriptine (Parlodel) and levodopa-carbidopa (Sinemet) for treatment of "de novo" Parkinson's disease patients.
Fifty-one patients were enrolled in a double-blind, parallel group, multicentre study conducted to assess short-term efficacy and tolerance of bromocriptine (Parlodel) or L-DOPA/carbidopa (Sinemet) in patients never treated with amantadine, ergot alkaloids or L-DOPA-based drugs. An attempt to use the lowest effective dose was made. The responder rate for each group was approximately 78%; the mean daily dose for responders was 22.5 mg of bromocriptine or 250 mg of L-DOPA/carbidopa. The overall clinical improvement in each group was 62% (bromocriptine) and 55% (L-DOPA/carbidopa) for neurological assessment and 36% (bromocriptine) and 31% (L-DOPA/carbidopa) for functional disability. Comparison between groups did not show any significant difference for both neurological and disability assessments. The most frequent side effect was nausea (L-DOPA, N = 3; bromocriptine, N = 6).
Libman
I
I
Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
Gawel
M J
MJ
Riopelle
R J
RJ
Bouchard
S
S
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002230:Carbidopa / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; C009265:carbidopa, levodopa drug combination; D001971:Bromocriptine; D007980:Levodopa; D002230:Carbidopa