QUICK STUDY : A Weekly Digest Of New Research On Major Health Topics (Parkinson's)

[Murray Charters <mcharters@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

QUICK STUDY : A Weekly Digest Of New Research On Major Health Topics 
(Parkinson's)

Tuesday, February 24, 2004; Page HE08

PARKINSON'S DISEASE

A schizophrenia drug may limit involuntary movements.

? THE QUESTION Nearly half of Parkinson's disease patients who receive the 
standard drug treatment, levodopa, develop
involuntary jerking movements in the limbs and face -- a condition known as 
dyskinesia -- after four to six years. Does
clozapine (Clozaril), which is used to treat schizophrenia, reduce 
levodopa-induced dyskinesia?

? THIS STUDY randomly assigned 38 Parkinson's patients with severe dyskinesia 
to receive daily doses of clozapine or a
placebo for 10 weeks while continuing to take levodopa. Biweekly diaries 
revealed that, on average, those taking
clozapine had episodes of involuntary movement that were two hours shorter and 
half as intense than those taking
placebo. Three people taking clozapine experienced a rise in white blood cells, 
a dangerous side effect that required
them to stop taking the drug.

? WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? People with Parkinson's disease who 
experience involuntary movements after
levodopa treatment.

? CAVEATS The results need to be verified in more people. In addition, the 
participants reported their own involuntary
movement. Finally, the study did not compare this treatment with amantadine or 
surgery, which are other treatments for
levodopa-associated dyskinesia.

? BOTTOM LINE People with Parkinson's disease or their caregivers may wish to 
consult their physician about using
clozapine to control involuntary movements.

? FIND THIS STUDY Feb. 10 issue of Neurology; abstract online at 


? LEARN MORE ABOUT treatments for Parkinson's disease at  
and 

SOURCE: Washington Post, DC


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