To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: ICPD: Rasagiline Improves Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/20298A.htm Doctor's Guide August 3, 2001
By Richard Robinson Special to DG News HELSINKI, FINLAND -- August 3, 2001 -- The MAO-B inhibitor rasagiline can improve motor disability and quality of life for patients with Parkinson's disease, according to a study presented Wednesday at the 14th International Congress on Parkinson's Disease in Helsinki. "Phase II studies of rasagiline have shown excellent safety and tolerability," said lead study author Karl Kieburtz of the University of Rochester, New York, presenting for the Parkinson's Study Group. Dr. Kieburtz led this large Phase III trial to further test its usefulness in PD patients. Four hundred-four patients with early PD received either placebo or rasagiline, dosed at 1 mg or 2 mg per day for 26 weeks. While placebo patients worsened over the course of the study in both motor scores and quality of life measures, treated patients significantly improved at both doses. Patients on the low dose actually had more improvement than those on high dose, with a 4.2 point improvement versus placebo on the total Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score, while high-dose patients improved 3.6 points versus placebo. Similarly, low-dose patients had a 2.91 point improvement versus placebo on the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life (PDQUALIF) scale, while high-dose patients improved 2.74 points versus placebo. Safety and side effects were similar between the two doses, and neither was significantly different from placebo. Importantly, neither patient group showed any adverse effect when challenged with tyramine, a food metabolite which can bring on fever and other effects when present with some MAO-B inhibitors. "Rasagiline is effective as monotherapy for early Parkinson's disease," Dr. Kieburtz concluded, "and can improve PD signs and symptoms as well as quality of life." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.