Double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of rasagiline as monotherapy in early Parkinson's disease patients.
Rasagiline (N-propargyl-1(R)-aminoindan) mesylate is a potent, selective, and irreversible monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor. This study was designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of rasagiline monotherapy in early Parkinson's disease (PD) patients not receiving levodopa. The study was performed as a multicenter, parallel-group, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 10-week study. Fifty-six PD patients were randomly assigned to rasagiline mesylate 1, 2, or 4 mg once daily, or placebo. A 3-week dose-escalation period was followed by a 7-week maintenance phase. At week 10, the mean (+/-SE) changes from baseline in total Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score were -1.8 (+/-1.3), -3.6 (+/-1.7), -3.6 (+/-1.2), and -0.5 (+/-0.8) in the rasagiline 1, 2, and 4 mg/day and placebo groups, respectively. Analysis of responders showed that 28% of patients (12 of 43) receiving rasagiline had an improvement in total UPDRS score of greater than 30%, compared with none of the patients receiving placebo (P < 0.05, Fisher's exact test). The frequency and types of adverse events reported by rasagiline-treated and placebo-treated patients were similar. These results suggest that rasagiline monotherapy is well tolerated and efficacious in early PD.
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Matthew B
MB
Stern
Kenneth L
KL
Marek
Joseph
J
Friedman
Robert A
RA
Hauser
Peter A
PA
LeWitt
Daniel
D
Tarsy
C Warren
CW
Olanow
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007189:Indans / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007189:Indans; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; C031967:rasagiline