Patient satisfaction with switching to Stalevo: an open-label evaluation in PD patients experiencing wearing-off (Simcom Study).
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the ease with which 52 Parkinson's disease patients already receiving adjunct entacapone to traditional levodopa were switched to Stalevo (levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone).


RESULTS
The switch to Stalevo was straightforward for most patients taking standard-release levodopa with 86% of these patients being able to replace their entire regimen without having to change the amount of levodopa taken. The majority of patients (54%, P = 0.162) preferred Stalevo; 31% preferred their prior treatment regimen; 15% had no preference. Patients found Stalevo more simple to dose (94%), more convenient to use (84%), easier to handle (84%), easier to remember (67%) and easier to swallow (59%), compared with their previous medication.


CONCLUSIONS
Stalevo was well tolerated, with a low incidence of adverse events. The study shows that Stalevo is an effective, preferred and well-tolerated means of delivering levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone in one easy-to-use tablet.
Myllylä
V
V
Department of Neurology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland. vilho.myllyla@oulu.fi
Haapaniemi
T
T
Kaakkola
S
S
Kinnunen
E
E
Hartikainen
P
P
Nuutinen
J
J
Rissanen
A
A
Kuopio
A M
AM
Jolma
T
T
Satomaa
O
O
Heikkinen
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D065105:Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D002230:Carbidopa / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002396:Catechols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009570:Nitriles; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D065105:Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D002396:Catechols; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009570:Nitriles; C481098:Stalevo; D007980:Levodopa; C071192:entacapone; D002230:Carbidopa