title: Overnight switch from ropinirole to transdermal rotigotine patch in patients with Parkinson disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A recent trial involving predominantly Caucasian subjects with Parkinson Disease (PD) showed switching overnight from an oral dopaminergic agonist to the rotigotine patch was well tolerated without loss of efficacy. However, no such data have been generated for Korean patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This open-label multicenter trial investigated PD patients whose symptoms were not satisfactorily controlled by ropinirole, at a total daily dose of 3 mg to 12 mg, taken as monotherapy or as an adjunct to levodopa. Switching treatment from oral ropinirole to transdermal rotigotine was carried out overnight, with a dosage ratio of 1.5:1. After a 28-day treatment period, the safety and tolerability of switching was evaluated. Due to the exploratory nature of this trial, the effects of rotigotine on motor and nonmotor symptoms of PD were analyzed in a descriptive manner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 116 subjects who received at least one treatment, 99 (85%) completed the 28-day trial period. Dose adjustments were required for 11 subjects who completed the treatment period. A total of 76 treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) occurred in 45 subjects. No subject experienced a serious AE. Thirteen subjects discontinued rotigotine prematurely due to AEs. Efficacy results suggested improvements in both motor and nonmotor symptoms and quality of life after switching. Fifty-two subjects (46%) agreed that they preferred using the patch over oral medications, while 31 (28%) disagreed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Switching treatment overnight from oral ropinirole to transdermal rotigotine patch, using a dosage ratio of 1.5:1, was well tolerated in Korean patients with no loss of efficacy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This trial is registered with the ClincalTrails.gov Registry (NCT00593606).
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Movement Disorder Center, Parkinson Disease Study Group, and Neuroscience Research Institute, BK21, College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. brain@snu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Han-Joon
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Beom S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Won Yong
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myoung Chong
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae-Beom
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Jinwhan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sun Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grieger
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whitesides
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boroojerdi
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007211:Indoles; C046649:ropinirole