Dosing with ropinirole in a clinical setting.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the optimal dose of ropinirole (ReQuip) for treatment of early Parkinson's disease (PD).


METHODS
Six-month data were gathered from three trials of monotherapy in patients with PD.


RESULTS
Seventy-five percent of patients who experienced a therapeutic response did so at <or= 7.5 mg/day. Patients whose dose was increased by more than four titration levels from weeks 4-24 (mean total increase 14.8 mg/day) tended to show greater improvements than those whose dose increase was smaller (mean increase 3.4 mg/day) (17.4% vs 10.8%, respectively). Mean doses continued to increase throughout the 3- and 5-year trials (3-year trial at endpoint, 10.4 mg/day; 5-year trial at 3 years and at endpoint, 14.1 and 14.9 mg/day, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Although a therapeutic response may be expected at <or= 7.5 mg/day, these data suggest a benefit for continued dose titration in most patients with early PD. For some patients, the maximum recommended dose (24 mg/day) may be necessary.
Korczyn
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Sieratzki Chair of Neurology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. neuro13@ccsg.tau.ac.il
Thalamas
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Adler
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D003625:Data Collection; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D007211:Indoles; C046649:ropinirole