Entacapone improves complex movement performance in patients with Parkinson's disease.
BACKGROUND
A possible strategy to prolong plasma metabolism of Levodopa/Carbidopa (LD/CD) is Entacapone addition (EN), which improves impaired motor behaviour in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).


OBJECTIVE
Objectives were to evaluate the clinical response to an increased dopaminergic substitution with EN by clinical rating and assessment of complex motions and to investigate the change of movement in PD patients during repeat drug administration during an eight hour interval.


METHODS
We used peg insertion with a computer based device and clinical rating for assessment of motor function in 20 treated PD patients. They received LD/CD and then the same LD/CD dosage plus EN in a standardised, open label fashion.


RESULTS
Motor scores and performance of the instrumental task were significantly better and the fluctuation of movement was less intense during the LD/CD/EN condition according to the motor test outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
EN supplementation improves motor symptoms and provides a more continuous movement behaviour in PD patients.
Müller
Thomas
T
Department of Neurology, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Gudrunstrasse 56, 44791 Bochum, Germany. thomas.mueller@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Erdmann
Christoph
C
Muhlack
Siegfried
S
Bremen
Dirk
D
Przuntek
Horst
H
Woitalla
Dirk
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002396:Catechols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009570:Nitriles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D002396:Catechols; D009570:Nitriles; C071192:entacapone