title: Safety and efficacy of rotigotine transdermal patch in patients with restless legs syndrome: a post-hoc analysis of patients taking 1 - 3 mg/24 h for up to 5 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This post-hoc analysis of a prospective open-label study investigated patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) taking approved dosages (1, 2 or 3 mg/24 h) of rotigotine transdermal patch for up to 5 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following 6 weeks' double-blind treatment, patients with moderate-to-severe RLS received open-label rotigotine titrated to optimal dosage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Safety was assessed by adverse events (AEs) and efficacy was assessed by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group Rating Scale (IRLS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 295 patients who entered the open-label study, 198 (67%) began the maintenance period taking rotigotine dosages of 1 - 3 mg/24 h, or increased their dosage from 0.5 mg in the first 3 months of the maintenance period. Of the 198 patients, 45 patients (23%) completed 5 years of follow-up within this dosage range, 79 patients (40%) had their dosage adjusted outside this range during follow-up and 74 patients (37%) withdrew (including 49 [25%] due to AEs and 6 [3%)] for lack of efficacy). Application site reactions were the most common AEs (102 of 198 patients [52%]), with an incidence of 35% (69 of 198) in year 1, 19% (19 of 102) in year 2, and 4 - 6% during each of years 3 - 5. Mean IRLS total score decreased from 27.1 ± 6.0 at double-blind baseline to 6.5 ± 6.5 at the beginning of maintenance, and to 7.4 ± 8.4 after 5 years' treatment on 1 - 3 mg/24 h (n = 45); 21 patients (47%) were classified as symptom-free (IRLS = 0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent with the results for the overall population, rotigotine transdermal patch at approved dosages of 1 - 3 mg/24 h was generally well tolerated after the first year, with sustained efficacy in patients who completed 5 years of treatment at dosages of 1 - 3 mg/24 h.
authors.affiliation: UCB Pharma, Movement and Sleep Disorders, Allée de la Recherche 60, 1070 Brussels, Belgium. elisabeth.dohin@ucb.com
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dohin
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Högl
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferini-Strambi
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schollmayer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fichtner
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: García-Borreguero
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D057968:Transdermal Patch; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes; D013876:Thiophenes; C047508:rotigotine