Effects of rasagiline on freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease - an open-label, multicenter study.
OBJECTIVE
Freezing of gait is a disabling symptom in advanced Parkinson's disease. Positive effects have been suggested with MAO-B inhibitors. We report on an open label clinical study on the efficacy of rasagiline as add-on therapy on freezing of gait and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease.


METHODS
Forty two patients with freezing of gait were treated with 1 mg rasagiline daily as an add-on therapy. Patients were assessed at baseline and after 1, 2 and 3 months of treatment. Freezing of gait severity was assessed using the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, motor impairment by the modified MDS UPDRS part III, and quality of life using the PDQ-39 questionnaire.


RESULTS
Patients treated with rasagiline had a statistically significant decrease in FoG-Q score and modified MDS UPDRS score after 1, 2 and 3 months of therapy. A moderately strong (r = 0.686, P = 0.002) correlation between the effects on mobility and freezing of gait was found. We also observed a statistically significant improvement in global QoL and in the subscales mobility, ADL, stigma and bodily discomfort in patients after 3 months of rasagiline therapy. A significant correlation (r = 0.570, P = 0.02) between baseline FoG-Q score and the baseline score for the PDQ Mobility subscale was found.


CONCLUSIONS
In our study rasagiline as add-on antiparkinsonian therapy significantly improved mobility, freezing of gait and quality of life. The positive effect on freezing of gait appears to be related to improvement of mobility.
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava and University Hospital Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Frantisek
F
Cibulcik
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava and University Hospital Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Jan
J
Benetin
Department of Neurology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin and University Hospital Martin, Slovak Republic.
Egon
E
Kurca
Department of Neurology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin and University Hospital Martin, Slovak Republic.
Milan
M
Grofik
Department of Neurology, Hospital Spisska Nova Ves, Slovak Republic.
Miloslav
M
Dvorak
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Denis
D
Richter
Department of Neurology, Slovak Health University, Roosevelt Hospital Banska Bystrica, Slovak Republic.
Vladimir
V
Donath
Department of Neurology, Slovak Health University, Roosevelt Hospital Banska Bystrica, Slovak Republic.
Jan
J
Kothaj
Second Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Michal
M
Minar
Second Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Peter
P
Valkovic
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007189:Indans; C031967:rasagiline
Parkinson's disease; Rasagiline; freezing of gait