title: Comparative efficacy of selegiline versus rasagiline in the treatment of early Parkinson's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The monoamine oxidase B inhibitors selegiline and rasagiline have not been compared in head-to-head clinical trials in patients with early Parkinson's disease.  The aim of this review was to compare the efficacy of these two agents in this setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, placebo-controlled trials with an endpoint of the mean change from baseline in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) total score were included. Analysis included calculation of the standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and Forest Plot analyses for comparisons of pooled results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five studies with selegiline (n = 1029) and four with rasagiline (n = 820) were included. Treatment duration was 2.5-9 months. Both selegiline and rasagiline showed significant SMDs versus placebo (-0.690, 95% CI -0.811, -0.569 and -1.025, 95% CI -1.230, -0.820; respectively), indicating a significant effect of both drugs on UPDRS. The SMD between selegiline and rasagiline was not significantly different (SMD 0.079; 95% CI -0.010, +0.167).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It appears that selegiline and rasagiline have comparable efficacy in improving Parkinsonian symptoms in patients with early stage disease.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., Parma, Italy. s.marconi@chiesi.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marconi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zwingers
mesh_terms: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012642:Selegiline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007189:Indans; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; C031967:rasagiline; D012642:Selegiline