title: Hypertrophy of intima media of the carotid artery due to L-dopa therapy in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have shown that L-dopa therapy used in patients with Parkinson's disease might cause thickening of the carotid artery intima media. It is known that intima-media thickening is a sign of systemic atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to clarify the correlation between L-dopa medication and carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) in patients with Parkinson's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients with Parkinson's disease who used L-dopa (LD+) and 17 patients who did not use L-dopa (LD-) treatment were included in this study. Colour Doppler with B-mode carotid ultrasonography was performed. The Hoehn-Yahr scale was used for staging of Parkinson's disease in an 'on' state. The Student t test was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The IMT of the left internal carotid and external carotid arteries were found to be thicker in patients treated with L-dopa. The mean IMT of the left internal carotid artery was 0.937+/-0.391 mm in the LD+ group and 0.677+/-0.138 mm in the LD-group (P=0.013). The mean IMT of the left external carotid artery was 0.956+/-0.531 mm in the LD+ group and 0.646+/-0.18 mm in the LD-group (P=0.037).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The IMT of the carotid artery was found to be thicker in patients who were treated with L-dopa. In conclusion, patients treated with L-dopa appear to be at a higher risk of thickening of the intima media of the carotid artery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Pamukkale University Medical Faculty, Denizli, Turkey. cagatayoncel@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Cağatay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oncel
authors.forename: Birsen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ince
authors.forename: Hülya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Apaydin
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozekmekçi
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Uludüz
mesh_terms: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007980:Levodopa