title: Problem in prolonged levodopa administration of Parkinson disease patients--from the standpoint of the autonomic nervous function.
abstract: We studied 50 patients with Parkinson's disease to determine any relation of epidemiologic factors (such as the duration of illness), the duration of levodopa therapy, the total amount of administered levodopa to degree of autonomic dysfunction. Autonomic dysfunction was evaluated using the composite autonomic scoring scale (CASS). The CASS scores were significantly higher among patients with greater administration amount of levodopa regardless of the duration of illness (p < 0.05). There was a definite positive correlation between cardiovascular heart rate index, which was one of the parameters of CASS and reflected parasympathetic neuron system function of cardiac origin, and the duration of levodopa therapy (r = 0.44, p < 0.01) or the total administered amount of levodopa (r = 0.43, p < 0.01). We conclude that long-term levodopa therapy negatively affects autonomic nervous function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saigo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kihara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D007980:Levodopa