title: Levodopa use and sleep in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies.
abstract: Sleep disturbance and excessive daytime somnolence (EDS) are features of Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) that may be influenced by dopamine replacement therapy. The effect of levodopa on sleep and EDS in DLB is unknown and unclear in PD. The aim of this study is to determine if levodopa treatment alters sleep symptoms and EDS in DLB. Dopamine naïve patients with DLB (n = 15; mean mini mental state examination (MMSE) score 17.7(4.6)) and PD (n = 9; mean MMSE 25.5(2.2)) were assessed using the Epworth sleep scale, Parkinson's disease sleep scale, and the neuropsychiatric inventory prior to initiating treatment with levodopa. All measures were repeated after 3 and 6 months of levodopa therapy. The median final daily levodopa dose was 300 mg in both groups. Baseline sleep measures were comparable between groups. Levodopa treatment did not affect sleep or lead to increased EDS in DLB patients. The use of levodopa does not appear to adversely affect subjective sleep measures or increase EDS in DLB patients.
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Research Centre, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. sophie.molloy@btopenworld.com
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: Thais
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Minett
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Ian G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: McKeith
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Burn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007980:Levodopa