RCT: Neurostimulation for Parkinson's disease with early motor complications

Source: N Engl J Med Area: News Subthalamic stimulation reduces motor disability and improves quality of life in patients with with advanced Parkinson's disease who have severe levodopa-induced motor complications. The EARLYSTIM Study Group hypothesised that neurostimulation would be beneficial at an earlier stage of Parkinson's disease.   The group conducted a 2-year trial in 251 patients with Parkinson's disease and early motor complications (mean age, 52 years; mean duration of disease, 7.5 years) who were randomised to undergo neurostimulation plus medical therapy or medical therapy alone. The primary end point was quality of life, as assessed with the use of the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) summary index (with scores ranging from 0 to 100 and higher scores indicating worse function). Major secondary outcomes included parkinsonian motor disability, activities of daily living, levodopa-induced motor complications (as assessed with the use of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, ...
Source: NeLM - News - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news