title: Clinical pharmacology and efficacy of rotigotine (Neupro® patch) in the treatment of restless leg syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Restless legs syndrome/Willis Ekbom disease (RLS/WED) is a sensorimotor disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs accompanied by an urge to move them, that typically occurs and tend to worsen in the evening/night or during period of inactivity. Standard medications for RLS/WED are dopamine agonists and calcium channel α-2-δ ligands. The clinical spectrum of RLS/WED is very broad, ranging from individuals suffering from the disease during limited periods up to those severely affected, with daily symptoms. In such cases a long-acting drug like rotigotine should be considered.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical pharmacology and efficacy of rotigotine was examined to evaluate the evidence supporting its use in RLS/WED.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rotigotine transdermal patch provides constant delivery of the drug, maintaining a stable plasma concentration over 24 hours by means of a single daily application. Several randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of rotigotine in improving moderate-to-severe RLS/WED symptoms. Rotigotine is generally well tolerated. The most common adverse effects were application-site reactions, dose-dependent, more frequently reported in the first period of treatment. Incidence of augmentation in RLS/WED patients treated with oral dopamine agonists is higher when compared with the use of transdermal rotigotine.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Neuroscience, Sleep Disorders Center , Ospedale San Raffaele and Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferini-Strambi
authors.affiliation: a Division of Neuroscience, Sleep Disorders Center , Ospedale San Raffaele and Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marelli
authors.affiliation: a Division of Neuroscience, Sleep Disorders Center , Ospedale San Raffaele and Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galbiati
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D057968:Transdermal Patch
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes; D013876:Thiophenes; C047508:rotigotine
keywords: Rotigotine; adverse events; augmentation; dopamine agonists; restless leg syndrome