title: Rivastigmine as alternative treatment for refractory REM behavior disorder in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We report on a double-blind, crossover pilot trial for the treatment of rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD) in 12 patients with Parkinson's disease in whom conventional therapy failed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We employed a patch of the cholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine at a dose of 4.6 mg/24 hours for 3 weeks compared with placebo to reduce the frequency of RBD episodes. The number of RBD episodes was monitored by diaries of bed partners.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rivastigmine was well tolerated in most patients, with minor side effects, mainly related to peripheral cholinergic action, and significantly reduced the mean frequency of RBD episodes during the observation time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this pilot trial need to be confirmed by further studies on a larger number of patients.
authors.affiliation: Movement Disorders Research Center, Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. rdigiacopo@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Giacopo
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fasano
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Quaranta
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Della Marca
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bove
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bentivoglio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D048448:Phenylcarbamates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017286:Polysomnography; D020187:REM Sleep Behavior Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000068836:Rivastigmine
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D000068836:Rivastigmine