title: Patient-reported convenience of once-daily versus three-times-daily dosing during long-term studies of pramipexole in early and advanced Parkinson's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In chronic diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD), complex pharmacotherapy dosing schedules are reported to reduce adherence, perhaps leading to less-effective symptom control and, in PD, more erratic stimulation of dopamine receptors. However, blinded clinical-trial designs preclude direct comparisons of adherence to various schedules.
  
  
  METHODS
  In two double-blind (DB) studies of early PD and one of advanced PD, subjects received three-times-daily (t.i.d.) pramipexole or placebo. In open-label (OL) extensions, subjects took extended-release, once-daily (q.d.) pramipexole. At 24 or 32 OL weeks, q.d. versus t.i.d. dosing preference was surveyed by questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 590 DB-trial completers with early PD, 511 entered the OL extension. Of 374 survey respondents, 94.4% preferred q.d. dosing (72.2% of them found it 'very much more convenient' and 27.8%'more convenient'), 2.7% preferred t.i.d., and 2.9% chose 'no difference'. Of 465 DB-trial completers with advanced PD, 391 entered its OL extension. Of 334 survey respondents, 88.9% preferred q.d. dosing (59.9% of them found it 'very much more convenient' and 40.1%'more convenient'), 5.7% preferred t.i.d., and 5.4% chose 'no difference'. Results excluding DB-placebo recipients were highly similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this first direct comparison of patient preference for q.d. versus t.i.d. dopamine-agonist dosing, patients with early or advanced PD had a strong preference for q.d. rather than t.i.d. pramipexole. The high proportion of advanced-PD patients declaring this preference indicates that it does not depend on whether a patient is taking concomitant PD medications dosed more frequently than q.d.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University College London Institute of Neurology, London, UK Università di Napoli Federico II-IDC Hermitage Capodimonte, Napoli, Italy. a.schapira@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: A H V
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Schapira
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rascol
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Busse
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Debieuvre
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fraessdorf
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Poewe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077487:Pramipexole; D057566:Self Report; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D000077487:Pramipexole