Long-term treatment with intermitent intranasal or subcutaneous apormorphine in patients with levodopa-related motor fluctuations.
Twenty patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and disabling motor fluctuations were treated with intermittent subcutaneous (11 patients) or intranasal (nine patients) apomorphine for > 2 years. Apomorphine significantly reduced the mean daily "off" hours in both groups (p < 0.01) and improved "off" dystonia and end-of-dose and diphasic diskinesias. Unlike others authors, we found no difference between intranasal and subcutaneous' groups of treatment in the mean dose of apomorphine required to turn "on." Tolerance phenomenon to apomorphine could not be demonstrated in the follow-up period. Nasal crusting and vestibulitis observed in some patients treated intranasally were the more severe side effects and determined that some of them either switched to subcutaneous therapy or abandoned the treatment.
Esteban Muñoz
J
J
Servei de Neurologia, Hospital Clínic i Provincial de Barcelona, Spain.
Martí
M J
MJ
Marín
C
C
Tolosa
E
E
D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007980:Levodopa; D001058:Apomorphine