Abstract | OBJECTIVE: METHODS: This was a multicenter, double-blind, parallel study of patients with early PD not receiving levodopa or dopamine agonists, randomly assigned to pramipexole IR, pramipexole ER, or placebo. Seven-week flexible titration was followed by 26-week maintenance, with levodopa permitted as rescue medication. The primary analysis was to test pramipexole ER noninferiority to pramipexole IR based on a change in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part II+III score at 33 weeks, with noninferiority predefined as a treatment group difference for which the lower bound of the 95% confidence interval (CI) did not exceed -3 points. RESULTS: Among 213 ER and 207 IR recipients, the adjusted mean 33-week UPDRS II+III change (excluding levodopa rescue effects) was -8.2 for ER and -8.7 for IR, a difference of -0.5 with a 95% CI of -2.3 to 1.3. Compared with placebo (n = 103), pramipexole ER and pramipexole IR were significantly superior on UPDRS II+III score, all key secondary outcomes, and almost all other endpoints. On the 39-item Parkinson Disease Questionnaire, superiority of pramipexole ER failed to reach statistical significance. Both formulations were equally safe and well-tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: As monotherapy for early PD, pramipexole ER was noninferior to pramipexole IR and significantly more effective than placebo. Tolerability and safety did not differ between the formulations. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class I evidence that pramipexole ER is not inferior to pramipexole IR in patients with early PD.
|
Authors | W Poewe, O Rascol, P Barone, R A Hauser, Y Mizuno, M Haaksma, L Salin, N Juhel, A H V Schapira, Pramipexole ER Studies Group |
Journal | Neurology
(Neurology)
Vol. 77
Issue 8
Pg. 759-66
(Aug 23 2011)
ISSN: 1526-632X [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 21832218
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
|
Chemical References |
- Antiparkinson Agents
- Benzothiazoles
- Pramipexole
|
Topics |
- Aged
- Analysis of Variance
- Antiparkinson Agents
(therapeutic use)
- Benzothiazoles
(therapeutic use)
- Double-Blind Method
- Drug Administration Schedule
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Parkinson Disease
(drug therapy)
- Pramipexole
- Severity of Illness Index
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Time Factors
- Treatment Outcome
|