Experience with continuous levodopa enteral infusion (Duodopa®) in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease in a secondary level hospital

Introduction: Continuous levodopa delivery by enteral infusion (Duodopa (R)) is an alternative to deep brain stimulation and subcutaneous apomorphine to control motor fluctuations and dyskinesias in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). We report our experience with Duodopa (R) therapy in 11 patients with advanced PD. Methods: We retrospectively assessed clinical and quality of life changes in all patients with PD with severe motor fluctuations and dyskinesias who started continuous daily levodopa duodenal infusion through percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy from September 2006 (Duodopa (R) was approved for advanced PD treatment in Spain at that date) until April 2010 at the A. Marcide Hospital of Spain. Results: Nine patients received Duodopa (R) [62.7 +/- 10.6 (44-74) years, 63.6% male)]. Pre-Duodopa (R) clinical characteristics of patients were: disease duration 14.5 +/- 8.9 (3-34) years, oral levodopa dose 918.2 +/- 277.7 (450-1300) mg/day, and Hoehn and Yahr staging 3.7 +/- 0.5 (3-4). Nine patients are still receiving Duodopa (R). Patients improved motor fluctuations (72.7% significant improvement), dyskinesia (55.5% significant improvement), daily off-time (90.9%) and daily duration dyskinesia (66.6%) after total infusion time of 170.5 months (3-31). The improvement in Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) and Schwab&England Capacity for Daily Living Scale were 38.5 +/- 19.8 and 24 +/- 12.5 respectively (P < 0.05). Equivalent daily dose of levodopa (April 2010) was 1683.4 +/- 295.8 (1234-2216) mg/day. Conclusions: Intraduodenal infusion of levodopa offers an important alternative in treating patients with advanced Parkinson disease. (C) 2009 Sociedad Espanola de Neurologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.