title: A multicenter randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of pramipexole for Tourette's syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dopamine agonists could theoretically normalize the suspected central dopamine hypersensitivity in Tourette's syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  There was a multicenter randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of pramipexole given for 6 weeks in 63 children and adolescents with Tourette's syndrome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in the adjusted mean change in the Total Tic Score of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale for patients treated with pramipexole (-7.16) and placebo (-7.17). There were no significant treatment effects on change from baseline in the Global Severity score of the Yale Scale and parent- and investigator-scored Clinical Global Impression of Improvement. In patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, there was improvement in DuPaul ADHD scale scores for patients receiving pramipexole compared with placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no evidence that pramipexole has efficacy in suppressing tics. Pramipexole may decrease symptoms of associated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
authors.affiliation: Atlantic Neuroscience Institute, Overlook Hospital, Summit, New Jersey 07902, USA. roger.kurlan@atlantichealth.org
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurlan
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crespi
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coffey
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mueller-Vahl
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koval
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wunderlich
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000077487:Pramipexole; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D052160:Benzothiazoles; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D000077487:Pramipexole