OLD NEWS: Study Shows Possible Link Between Parkinson's Medication And Cardiac Valve Disease

[Murray Charters <mcharters@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

OLD NEWS: Study Shows Possible Link Between Parkinson's Medication And Cardiac 
Valve Disease
Public release date: 28-Apr-2004
Contact: Kathy Stone
kstone@xxxxxxx
651-695-2763
American Academy of Neurology

Study shows possible link between Parkinson's medication and cardiac valve 
disease

SAN FRANCISCO ? A recent study of Parkinson's disease patients who use the 
medication pergolide shows a possible link
between pergolide and injured cardiac valves. Study details and conclusions 
will be presented at the American Academy
of Neurology 56th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, Calif., April 24 ? May 1, 
2004.

Valvular heart disease has been reported by various groups, totaling about 25 
patients with Parkinson's disease who
take pergolide. "These reports are anecdotal, from uncontrolled case studies," 
notes study author Richard B. Dewey,
Jr., MD, associate professor of neurology, University of Texas Southwestern 
Medical Center in Dallas. "We were
interested to know if this is a rare, idiosyncratic event or a common problem 
which has until now escaped notice."

Dewey and fellow researchers sent letters to more than 200 patients known to be 
taking pergolide for Parkinson's
disease, and the responders who wished to continue pergolide were urged to 
undergo echocardiography. Echocardiograms
were performed on 46 patients, and scores for valvular regurgitation (leakage) 
were compared to an age-matched control
group from the Framingham Study (a well-documented heart disease study).

Two outcomes were compared: the presence of abnormal valvular leakage; and the 
presence of clinically significant
leakage using criteria similar to that employed by the FDA in the fenfluramine/ 
phentermine ("Fen-Phen" diet aid)
studies.

Eighty-nine percent (41) of pergolide-treated patients had some degree of 
valvular insufficiency. In two of three
valves for which there is control data (the mitral and aortic), the study 
showed an approximately two- to three-fold
increased risk (odds ratio 3) of regurgitation in the pergolide patients. In 
the tricuspid valve there was an estimated
14-fold increased risk of significant leakage (odds ratio 18).

"Our study demonstrates that pergolide may injure cardiac valves and, since 
they are available, consideration should be
given to switching patients to an alternate dopamine agonist," concludes Dewey.

###

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 18,000 
neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is
dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A 
neurologist is a doctor with specialized training
in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system 
such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease,
epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, autism and multiple sclerosis.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit its website 
at 

Editor's Notes: Dr. Dewey will present this research during a poster session at 
the 56th Annual Meeting at 3:00 p.m. PT
(6:00 p.m. ET) on Wednesday, April 28, in Gateway Ballroom 103-104 of the 
Moscone Convention Center.

SOURCE: EurekAlert Public Bulletins


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