title: Swallowing improvement after levodopa treatment in idiopathic Parkinson's disease: lack of evidence.
abstract: Swallowing impairment is the main cause of pulmonary infection and death in Parkinson's disease (PD). To date, there is no established effective treatment to restore swallowing function among these subjects. Levodopa is considered the gold standard treatment for motor symptoms in PD but its efficacy in improving oropharyngeal and esophageal dysphagia remains controversial.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology and Epidemiology, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador-Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ailton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003679:Deglutition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007980:Levodopa