Bromocriptine as initial therapy in elderly parkinsonian patients. The Bromocriptine Multicentre Trial Group.

Abstract

The problems of long-term levodopa treatment are well established, and a number of studies describe the use of bromocriptine as a first-line agent in patients under 65 years. This multicentre double-blind study compared the efficacy of low and very low dose bromocriptine in 64 elderly subjects with newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease. Both regimens led to clinical improvement, but there was a high drop-out rate and a high mortality. These difficulties, together with a low recruitment rate, resulted in problems of statistical analysis. There was no significant advantage in using the higher of the two dosage regimens, and we would recommend a maintenance dosage range of 5 mg-15 mg bromocriptine daily. On the basis of this study, however, bromocriptine seems unlikely to replace levodopa as the first-line treatment for Parkinson's disease.

• Journal: Age and ageing (Age Ageing) Vol. 19 Issue 1 Pg. 62-7 (Jan 1990) ISSN: 0002-0729 [Print] England
• PMID: 2180259 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Multicenter Study)

Chemical References

• Bromocriptine

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Bromocriptine (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Double-Blind Method
• Drug Evaluation
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Multicenter Studies as Topic
• Parkinson Disease (diagnosis, drug therapy)