title: Pramipexole, a nonergot dopamine agonist, is effective against rest tremor in intermediate to advanced Parkinson's disease.
abstract: We evaluated the efficacy of the nonergot dopamine receptor agonist pramipexole in 16 patients with advanced Parkinson's disease and marked rest tremor during an "on" period. The patients were drawn from a larger placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial, which was not originally designed to investigate the effect of pramipexole on tremor. Eleven patients received pramipexole. The first effects were seen with a pramipexole dose of 0.75 mg/d with a reduction of the tremor item A of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS III, "on" state) by 25% and of rigidity and akinesia by 22%. Under the highest dose, 4.5 mg/d, the tremor score was improved by 61% over baseline (p < 0.0056, Wilcoxon signed rank) and the sum of rigidity and akinesia items by 66% (p < 0.0038, Wilcoxon signed rank). Five patients received placebo and did not improve. Based on this sample of patients, the nonergot dopamine receptor agonist pramipexole appears to have a potent anti-rest tremor action while being effective against akinesia and rigidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Künig
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pogarell
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delf
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Oertel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077487:Pramipexole; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014202:Tremor / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D013844:Thiazoles; D000077487:Pramipexole