Rotigotine: Parkinson's disease: a step backward.
In a clinical trial in patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease, rotigotine transdermal patches were less effective than oral ropinirole. In another trial, rotigotine was no more effective than pramipexole in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. Transdermal delivery does not prevent the systemic adverse effects of rotigotine, and there is an additional risk of local reactions. Treatment is also more difficult to titrate. Patients with Parkinson's disease, whatever the stage, would be well advised to continue using an oral dopamine agonist such as bromocriptine.
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes; D013876:Thiophenes