Subcutaneous continuous apomorphine infusion in fluctuating patients with Parkinson's disease: long-term results.
Fluctuations in motor disability and dyskinesias are the major problem in the long-term treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Many authors and ourselves have shown that by giving patients a continuous infusion of levodopa it is possible to control motor fluctuations. Levodopa can be administered continuously only by intravenous, intragastric or intrajejunal delivery. Continuous dopaminergic stimulation can be achieved more easily by infusing dopamine agonists subcutaneously. Apomorphine is a potent water-soluble dopamine receptor agonist that has been shown to successfully control motor fluctuation when subcutaneously infused in complicated parkinsonian patients. We report the clinical data of 30 PD patients having at least five years of treatment with subcutaneous continuous apomorphine infusion.
Stocchi
F
F
Department of Neurosciences, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
Vacca
L
L
De Pandis
M F
MF
Barbato
L
L
Valente
M
M
Ruggieri
S
S
D000368:Aged; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004347:Drug Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007980:Levodopa / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D007980:Levodopa; D001058:Apomorphine