title: Ropinirole for the treatment of early Parkinson disease: a 12-month experience. Ropinirole Study Group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate ropinirole hydrochloride as dopaminergic monotherapy in patients with early Parkinson disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 6-month extension of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ambulatory care at 22 different sites in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who successfully completed the initial 6-month study could enter the 6-month extension study (ropinirole, n = 70; placebo, n = 77).
  
  
  METHODS
  Use of ropinirole or placebo therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The efficacy variables were the number of patients who successfully completed the 12-month study and did not require supplemental levodopa, the number of patients requiring supplemental levodopa, and the proportion of patients having an insufficient therapeutic response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly fewer ropinirole-treated patients met criteria for insufficient therapeutic response (23 [19.8%] of 116) or required the initiation of levodopa therapy (22 [19%] of 116) compared with placebo-treated patients (60 [48%] of 125 patients for insufficient therapeutic response; 57 [45.6%] of 125 patients for additional levodopa). Significantly more ropinirole-treated patients (51 [44.0%] of 116) successfully completed the 12-month study and did not require supplemental levodopa compared with placebo-treated patients (28 [22.4%] of 125). The incidence of adverse experiences and patient withdrawals was low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ropinirole was effective and well tolerated as monotherapy for 12 months in patients with early Parkinson disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912, USA.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Sethi
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hammerstad
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Ramos
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bertoni
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hauser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007211:Indoles; C046649:ropinirole